Through The Eyes Of An Innocent
by Purple Uranium
Summary: UNDER REVISION. Inu x Kag. Being the daughter of a hated noble, Kagome is forced into marrying the new Emperor, and childhood friend, of her home country. But it doesn't help that her beloved country hates her, or that she develops feelings for another.
1. Chapter One

**Through the Eyes of an Innocent**

**Chapter One**

* * *

In her eyes she led a very complicated life. Many would laugh at the notion possibly bringing up her bloodline and stating that she was born into money. Although she did have many luxuries that most people only dreamed about, being wealthy wasn't as wonderful as many people made it out to be. Not only did she barely get any privacy, due to the fact that people waited on her hand and foot, but everyone had such high expectations of her.

She could do nothing to please them, and everything to upset them. Her father had once told her that she was "special", and due to the fact that she did hold such high status in society that she should act more like lady instead of a commoner. But instead she ran through mud puddles, let her ebony-black hair fly wildly around her face (which was considered inappropriate because she was supposed to be a lady) and received low scores in her studies.

It upset all those who expected great things from her, but she really could care less. She was simply being herself, and nobody could change that, even if those of such high status as her family didn't accept it. However that wasn't exactly what made her life complicated. What caused her to believe that she did not have it as easy as she would have liked was the fact that she had no clear perception of freedom. Not once in her life had she ever been outside those cold stone gray walls that only proved to be her prison.

Not once had she ever been able to experience what life was like outside of those gray castle walls. And as a result of being so secluded and isolated from the outside world she became naïve. Perhaps if she had been allowed to experience life for just a single moment, she wouldn't be the way that she was now, but it just couldn't be helped. With the society that she lived in it was best to stay locked up and safe within the confines of the castle walls, but she just could not help but want to experience what the commoners of her country were able to experience.

But her dreams would not be fulfilled, and because of what she was, she was made fun of for wanting to escape the castle walls. It was playful teasing most of the times, but sometimes she would be left feeling bitter and unwanted afterwards. When she spoke of such dreams in front of others, they looked down upon her and chastised her for being so naïve.

The only possible thing that was able to make anything bearable for her was the comfort that her father would bring her. Every time she had a problem with what was said about her attitude he would say that he would rather her be naïve and inexperienced rather than experience the hurt and pain of the world. But maybe if she were able to know what the hurt and pain truly felt like, she would be able to have the others accept her. She knew that in her heart that she truly wanted to be different and that it was best that she did not know what life awaited her.

After all, who knew what the commoners would do to her. After all she was blessed by having the blood of a Higurashi flowing through her veins. Being a Higurashi meant something as well. Not only did she hold such a high status; the young woman was extremely powerful. If her father passed away, she would be able to inherit his entire estate, and control a quarter of the country.

The country that young Lady Higurashi lived in was clearly established by rank, and who possessed more money and power. At first these beautiful lands did not contain these bylaws, but because of the new ruler that had invaded these lands almost 500 years ago, rank established everything. There was a time of serenity where everyone lived in harmony with one another, cultivating the land so that they would not die out. It took many years to get the lands looking as beautiful as it did now, with it's green pastures, crystal clear streams, and lush and exquisite farmlands.

However that time of peace and tranquility vanished as soon as it had started. Not to long after the villagers finished cultivating the Northern Lands did foreigners come stumbling into their peaceful villages. Almost as soon as the foreigners saw the beautiful lands they attacked, killing half of the innocent people around them. Mothers died protecting their young children, and children who got separated from their mothers died screaming for them. Even babies were killed and slaughtered, until half of the other villagers surrendered to them.

Once the foreigners had established that they were the leaders of the Northern Lands, did the commander of the foreigners appear and declare himself emperor of those rich and fertile lands. Shortly afterwards the original villagers that had migrated to the Northern Lands were forced into slavery, to start improving the country economically. The first task that the foreigners had set the slaves to do was to build homes for the other foreigners of their group. Then shortly after that, they were forced to build a castle for the emperor. The work was hard and many people were beaten badly if they slacked off.

There were many slaves who thought of rebelling against the emperor during the building of the castle but their minds were quickly changed when other slaves brought up their children and how they needed to be fed and watered. They truly did not wish that their children had to see such frightening times. However as time progressed, the slavery within the Northern Lands only increased, and if anyone from another country was found wandering within the Northern Lands they were beaten and then sentenced to life as a slave.

Now barely anyone dared to defy the Emperor of the Northern Lands, for fear that their families would be killed or worse. The only people who were lucky enough to escape the wrath of the Emperor were the nobles, or the relatives of the people who helped conquer the Northern Lands those 500 years ago. And a man by the name of Hakujou Higurashi just happened to be one of them.

So it was with quite interest that the Higurashi child of the present was filled with such joviality and innocence, especially since her ancestor assisted in killing over half of a peaceful race. However the Higurashi child was not exactly aware of her family history. It was forbidden for her to try and research it, despite the fact that she got special treatment from nearly everyone in the castle even the Emperor himself.

It probably helped that she used to be a good friend of the Emperor's son, Prince Yokoshima. He had been 12 and she 8 when the Emperor decided to remove the Higurashi child from his presence so that he could devote all his time to learning about becoming the new Emperor, and due to that, the Higurashi child was forced to become friends with others. There were many times when she would attempt to befriend a servant and be badly reprimanded for it, but other than that she befriended other noble's children.

There would be times when she could not stand them in the least since they had the tendency to be biased, when it came to their beliefs, whereas the Higurashi child had her naïve beliefs, which they constantly shot down. She was 13 when she finally decided that her life was harder than most people believed it to be. If it was so complicated to get her own friends to listen to what she believed, without it being ridiculed then what was the point of having friends? Only shortly after that did she stop caring. Her beliefs were her own, and she decided that if anyone thought that they were naïve and preposterous then it was simply on them. Besides she was "special" and they were not.

It was always something bitter and resentful that she was able to throw in their faces, and as soon as she stated it, they simply quieted and kept their wicked thoughts to themselves. Although she had to literally tell them that she was "special" before they decided to voice their opinions or else there would be no stopping them. And even if she did have the blood of a Higurashi flowing within her veins, one of the Northern Lands founders, she was still a child with different and completely absurd beliefs.

* * *

The scratching of a quill could be heard bouncing off of the walls as the young Higurashi child continued to take her arithmetic exam. Her concentration was faltering throughout the entire process, and on the sides of her parchment, tiny flowers and stars could be found, scribbled none too neatly. As she finished another equation, she glanced out the window and towards the cloudy sky, her imagination taking control of her senses once more.

She imagined being able to leave the Northern Lands, and explore what was beyond the castle walls, passed the sand domes, and towards other kingdoms. She imagined seeing people with riches beyond imaginations, and finding love along the way. She imagined falling in love with a peasant possibly (her father would have killed her if he found out that she was even remotely thinking about loving a peasant), and he would help her experience the things in life that she never would in the Northern Lands.

She then imagined being trapped in a desert, with no water, no shelter, and nothing to eat, wondering how on Earth she would survive. She could be stalked by vultures, or killed by a sandstorm, or worse, get stung and poisoned by a scorpion. A small smile played at the Higurashi child's face, as she imagined barely making it out of the desert and too a healer as the poison from the scorpion sting reached her heart, completely stopping it.

Of course she would have her life flash before her eyes, and then possibly die, if only momentarily, for healers were very skilled in keeping people alive. Then she would be able to go around, and tell people that she was almost killed by scorpion venom. Smiling to herself, she began to scribble lazy spirals on her parchment, allowing her imagination to soar to even higher levels.

She thought about what it would be like it she was a majestic fairy, or possibly a Djinni, like the mystical prophets that they worshipped there in the Northern Lands. She wondered what she would possibly look like. She would most likely have long light blonde hair, since most Djinn seemed to have that trait. She didn't think of what her eyes color would like, since she was the only other person inside the Northern Lands (other than the Djinni) that possessed blue eyes.

She would probably get to wear those long, flowing white gowns with the strange gold and silver dragonfly crest embroidered in it. No one in the Northern Lands were allowed to wear white, due to the fact that one had to be Holy in ordered to wear them. The only people who were considered Holy were the Djinn, The Emperor, and one's who possessed the traits of the Djinn. The Higurashi child was one of them.

Closing her eyes, the Higurashi child imagined what it would be like in order to be able to make prophecies, such as the Djinni did. In fact she wondered what kind of prophecy she would be able to make. Probably not as complicated and as strangely worded as that of a proper Djinni. In fact, no one in the Kingdom really knew what the meaning behind the words were until the Prophecy was fulfilled. But all Djinn really did was sit around in their spiritual rooms quietly, not making a single sound, a quill and parchment in front of them.

Then their spiritual powers would spark and they would start writing, without even looking at the parchment, and their hands would not stop moving until the prophecy was fully written. In a sense, the Higurashi child could not simply sit in one single room for all of eternity, predicting the future. She would just get too bored. But the thought did appeal to her.

Sighing loudly, the Higurashi child tore her gaze away from the window, and looked down at the parchment in front of her. Her eyebrow rose in question suddenly, as she stared at the nicely polished wood in front of her. Her parchment was gone. Looking around the room, her eyes landed on her governess, noticing the grim expression upon her face. Holding in a growl, she plastered the best smile she could manage on her face, wondering when she had taken her exam away from her.

"I was waiting to find out when you would return to this realm Lady Kagome. You do know that you will continue to get low marks if you allow your imagination to wander." The elderly woman scolded. The Higurashi child nodded, frowning at the informal way she was addressed. Mostly everyone in the castle knew that she was supposed to be addressed as Lady Higurashi not Lady Kagome. Only when females were irritated with another did they ever refer to them by their first name, and not their surname.

"I apologize Governess1 Kaede but-"

"Governess Toshikasa, Kagome. Never refer to one older than you by their first names, only their surnames. Am I clear?" Her governess asked quietly. Kagome simply sighed, before bowing her head respectfully.

"Transparent, Governess Toshikasa." Kagome replied before sitting down and smoothing out her pale pink dress. Sighing incoherently, she sat quietly in the remainder of her tutoring session, while her governess lectured her on Literature.

Chewing on her bottom lip, Kagome was excused, and left the room all too quickly. She could not stand actually sitting in one place for an entire morning, without breakfast. While she was hastily making a beeline for the dining hall (her stomach was growling rather loudly) she almost failed to notice a boy with short black hair grab her behind as she whisked passed him.

Stopping suddenly, she turned around and faced him, a surprised look apparent on her features from the sudden contact. The boy smirked at her almost too complacently, his violet eyes shining with mirth. Kagome recognized him immediately before crossing her hands over her chest and allowing herself to glare at him.

"Pervert." She stated, grinning at the hurt look that suddenly found its way to his face.

"Why Lady Higurashi, I have no idea what you mean and I am quite insulted. That is no way to address the General's son now is it?" Kagome snorted and titled her head to the side. She was quite used to his corrupt behavior by now. Almost everyone in the castle knew, that the general's son wandering hands (and eyes) except for maybe the general.

"I greatly apologize for not addressing you properly Sir Miroku, but that doesn't change the fact that you are still a pervert."

"My father would lacerate you if he found out you spoke of me as such." He stated as he walked over to her, the playfulness apparent in his voice. Kagome merely huffed as she held out her arm, allowing him to intertwine hers with his.

"Well then," Kagome started as Miroku escorted her towards the dining hall," I am pretty sure that he doesn't know about that wandering hand of yours now does he?" She asked as they rounded a corner. A few female servants not too far from them, noticed the couple walking, arm in arm down the corridor, and could not help but "awe" at the sight. Miroku simply managed to smirk and wink at the servants, causing them to blush seven shades of red before scampering off to finish their work.

"You are too much of a flirt, you know that?" Kagome ascertained flatly. She always hated it when Miroku would escort her somewhere because he always managed to get the other females around them to swoon whenever he so much as smiled at them. But that was just how Miroku was. Ever since he had turned 13 he was extremely fascinated with the female body. Because it was then when he finally realized that females were beautiful creatures of the planet, gifts from the Djinn.

At least that was what he had told Kagome. He was extremely fascinated with the female anatomy, seeing as to how he could never keep his hands off of one. But that was the great thing about Miroku, and it also made him fun to be around. He was the only friend that actually listened to her wild dreams and ideas, without reprimanding her. It probably had something to do with the fact that they both were 'improper' according to other nobles, but Kagome would have it no other way.

"I do not flirt, I _charm_. There is a distinct difference you know."

"Label it what you want, you are still a flirt." Kagome replied, nudging him in the ribs playfully. Miroku only managed to chuckle lightly before winking at another passing servant.

"So how did your Sums exam go?" Miroku asked suddenly. Kagome's face drained of color. She did not exactly know how it went since Governess Kaede removed it from her desk. She knew that the Governess would probably give another below average score (as she did on every other Sums exam) and her father, and probably everyone else, in the royal court, would horribly scold her. Except for maybe Miroku, he was the only one who managed to get low scores in his Sums exams as well. Yet he got higher scores than everyone else in every other subject. Due to that fact he was labeled as a genius.

"Judging by the look on your face you didn't do to well. What score did you receive?"

"I never finished. Governess Kaede took my parchment away before I could finish writing. My imagination got the better of me this time." Kagome replied resentfully. Miroku clicked his tongue playfully.

"You are going to be the only female in this castle without a husband by the time she is 16 you know. No male-"

"No male will ever want to marry me with my attitude and my low intelligence, I know I know. My father only tells me that everyday." Kagome sighed. Marriage was always a sensitive subject for Kagome. Most females were married or promised off by their adolescent years. Kagome however, was not really wanted by any male in the castle. She was already 15, and she was not married or betrothed to anyone.

It hurt her slightly, to learn that she was not desirable to any man. It was probably because she had always wanted to know what it was like to be in love, since she had heard many people around the castle (mostly servants) whispering about how much they loved their spouse or significant other. Many nobles or people of high status were not allowed to love though. It was simply a matter of who had the most that could be offered.

Sometimes there would be a case where a male and a female would have attraction towards each other, and by some mysterious stroke of luck they would end up married to one another, but that did not happen often. In fact the only case Kagome knew of where a noble married another for love was within Miroku's family. His father and his mother both married for love and the union resulted in Miroku. But with the result that they received, Kagome did not know if she truly wanted to be in love. Still, she could not help but want to experience it.

The couple approached the dining hall in silence, Kagome too wrapped up in her thoughts to even notice that Miroku was still standing besides her, his arm linked in hers. She barely even noticed when Miroku stopped in front of the dining hall and bid her farewell, leaving her all alone in front of two large oak doors.

Closing her eyes slightly, Kagome glanced around her, before frowning decisively. Miroku had disappeared while she was thinking, and she had not even noticed it. He might had chanced groping her while she was in her withdrawn state, and gotten away with it.

**_'If that pervert did anything remotely close to groping me I swear I'll-'_**

"Lady Higurashi?" a low meek female voice asked jarring Kagome out of her thoughts. Blinking at the newcomer, Kagome noticed that she was in fact a servant. She had unruly brown hair, in which a portion of it was placed into a little pony tail, large brown innocent looking eyes, and very light skin. She was shorter than most servants were, and she appeared to be younger as well. In fact, Kagome had never seen a servant so young and meek in her life.

The young girl, who appeared to notice that she was being scrutinized, bowed lowly, hiding her face from the woman.

"Rin apologizes for offending you Lady Higurashi." The young girl stated. Kagome gasped almost at once, finally realizing that she had been looking at the child with an almost condescending glare. Kagome shook her head almost at once, and sighed loudly.

"No apology is needed Rin. I was not offended, I just have not come across a servant so young in my life." Kagome replied. Rin chanced a glance up at the young noble, seeing that she was smiling at her warmly. Rin slowly straightened before returning the warm smile to Kagome.

"Why thank you Lady Higurashi. But your Father, Lord Higurashi, has told Rin that he requests an audience with you." Kagome simply raised an eyebrow.

"Do you know why he would like to meet with me?" Kagome asked as Rin started to lead her towards her father's chambers. Rin turned and spared Kagome a toothy grin before nodding vigorously.

"I do believe that he has found you a husband."

* * *

The characters and situations of Inuyasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and I am just borrowing them for non-proft entertainment only. In other words, I'm just throwin' them around a little bit to suit my own tastes and satisfaction. Besides, I always put them back where I found them.


	2. Chapter Two

**Through the Eyes of an Innocent**

**ChapterTwo**

**

* * *

**

It was to be said that she had little experience with men. When she was younger, she had one male friend, but it seemed as though that union ended as soon had started. Now she was forced to be friends with the sons of nobles, however they made no move whatsoever to become more than just friends. People did say that if she truly wished to be desirable then she would have to act like a lady. However the thought of acting like a bitter woman held no appeal to her whatsoever. It also did not help the fact that she was a naturally carefree and happy person.

If her hilarity did appeal to men however, they did not let it show. She did find that she enjoyed her life much more if men only remained her friends, that way she would not have to deal with the hardships of marriage, but it still did hurt her to know that no man actually found her appealing to say the least. But now, it seemed as though she were walking on water.

She had realized that one thing had become clear ever since the announcement had been made, and it was completely unyielding. Life was toying with her. Somewhere in the deepest contours of her heart, she doubted the allegation of her father finding her a husband, and wished to pass it off as a joke. However, she knew that her Father would never call her to his chambers unless it was absolutely necessary, so it would be with precision that she made her way to his chambers. Or she would have if she were not frozen in place with shock.

Her mouth was hanging open, closing periodically, as though trying to find the proper words to say in order to respond to what the servant had told her. Her chest felt as though it had constricted, disabling the ability to breath, and her heart almost stopped beating. She found it extremely hard to form one single coherent thought on the matter, her blue-gray eyes wide in shock. The servant, Rin, had turned around to face the young woman, a large smile playing across her young features.

She knew about Lady Higurashi's certain eccentrics, and how she always had men problem. Although she was the youngest female servant to ever walk the intricate halls of the castle, she had been around men and women enough to know when one had problems. She could tell that the Higurashi child had problems. However, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before she was betrothed and married. Now she knew that she was to be married and all the Higurashi child had been able to do was go into shock, her blue eyes wide in surprise.

Rin knew that if she had been in the same situation as the older woman she probably would have reacted the same way, but the look on the young nobles face warranted a laugh from it, failing miserably as she tried to stifle it. Kagome's eyes merely returned to their normal size, darting to Rin as that childish giggling snapped her out of her reverie. As though being able to feel Kagome's blue-gray eyes staring at her intensely, Rin quieted and straightened, the corners of her mouth turning up in a smile.

"Rin has heard that you were not betrothed. Does this proclamation startle you that much?" She asked, her voice sounding professional and childish at the same time. Kagome merely looked at her incredulously before sticking her chin up in the air defiantly. Apparently the Higurashi child did not take well to scrutiny. Rin simply bowed her head, before turning away from the older woman, continuing to walk down the long corridors, in hope that Lady Higurashi followed her.

They wove in and out of many corridors, passing shining silver plated suits of armor, large tapestries with convoluted designs woven together, creating masterpieces only worthy of that of an Emperor. The stone ground was covered in burgundy carpeting, quieting the footfalls of the two young women as they made their way to the Lord Higurashi's chambers.

The rest of the trip was in fact made in silence, Kagome walking the entire way with a scowl on her face. As they reached the two large oak doors, Rin knocked quietly, waiting for her master to answer her, and left, allowing Kagome to deal with her own problems. Kagome frowned deeply, knocking once more, and almost at once the two large doors flew open, revealing a rather disgruntled looking young woman, with long dark hair, and dark chocolate colored eyes. Kagome studied her for a moment, her blue eyes taking in her rather dirty blue satin dress before bowing her head in respect and entering her father's chambers.

He looked up from his place behind his desk, stacks of parchment resting in front of him. He had placed his quill down rather abruptly, smiling brightly at his only child. Kagome regarded her father for a brief moment before closing the door behind her and taking a seat in a nice comfortable chair. She waited, smiling slightly as her father removed his spectacles from his face, and folded his hands neatly in front of him.

"You wished to see me?" Kagome asked, already aware of what he needed to say. Her father simply nodded, his russet colored eyes locked on the blue-gray hues across the room from him. Kagome felt almost nervous as he studied her, knowing and waiting for him to ridicule her on her appearance today. She was in fact not dressed as fairly as she could be, having just come from her tutoring sessions, with Lady Toshikasa. Her hair was askew (another trait of her that was considered improper) and her dressed was very much wrinkled, although she had tried on numerous times to straighten it, but it seemed as though her outer physique seemed to like to stay rugged and filthy.

"As a matter of fact I did wish to see you Kagome. I am positive the servant already told you the wonderful news about you finally being affianced?" He asked, sliding a slender hand wrinkled from age through his black and gray streaked hair. Kagome merely stared at him blankly, before nodding, not wanting to face the cold shock of reality. Someplace within her really wished that this situation could have been a simple dream, but she knew it was real. Kagome closed her eyes and let out a long ragged sigh before smiling happily, hoping that her father would buy into the empty façade, only growing angry when she realized that he had not. Kagome allowed one more growl to escape her before straightening up her demeanor, an even bigger smile twitching on her lips.

"Father, who is it that you wish for me to marry?" Kagome asked quietly, staring down at her hands, which she had folded neatly in front of her. She still could not get over the initial shock that she was to be married. She was desirable, and she was wanted. She wondered, was the man she was to marry handsome? Was he kind, brave, and nice? Would there be a chance that they could fall in love? Those questions would be the ones that plagued her. What would she do if he were cruel and violent? What would she do if he did not love her in any demure way? A sigh made it's way passed her lips and she looked up at her father who was watching her with an almost mischievous smile on his face. Kagome merely raised an eyebrow.

"The man you are to marry will be one of high stature. The only way I would be able to describe him as is kind, helpful, trustworthy, and not to mention brave. He is the only one worthy enough to marry my daughter."

"Well that's peachy and all, but who am I marrying?" Kagome asked, the sarcasm apparent in her voice. She merely received a deadpan look from her father before he decided to continue.

"As I said a kind brave and trustworthy man." He slowly realized it was becoming harder and harder not to laugh at his daughters rising temper. Her fists clenched in her silken gown before averting her gaze elsewhere. Kagome knew that she would not be able to look at him for risk of burning a hole through his head.

"Well," Kagome started through clenched teeth," it's nice to know that I am marrying a man with all of those attributes, but how come you are marrying me to a man and you can't even tell me his name?" Her father merely watched her, a wicked smile on his face as her knuckles turned white from clutching her dress so tightly. There was a chance that she would end up tearing through the fine silk, but that was the least of her father's worries.

"I know his name Kagome." A loud ragged huff of exasperation escaped Kagome's lips as she turned to glare at him. He was making this difficult on her. She knew with almost absolute certainty that he was trying to bait her, to see how much she would be able to take before she completely exploded. Sometimes she could not help but wonder how much her father truly loved her.

"Well will you tell me his name then?" Kagome asked immediately calming down.

"Of course." A terse moment of silence passed between father and daughter as Kagome waited for her father to tell her the name of her potential suitor. As the seconds waned on Kagome started to fidget, coming to a conclusion that her father absolutely loved making her squirm. He knew that she had always been sensitive about the marriage subject, and for him to draw out the entire process was unfair and unjust. At least in Kagome's mind it was. She watched her father, blue-gray hues locked with russet hues before averting her gaze to her hands once more.

"Well?" Kagome asked, aggravation clear in her voice.

"Well what?" Her father responded his eyes dancing with mirth. Kagome's gaze immediately locked with his, an impatient scowl forming on her face.

"Are you going to tell me his name or not?"

"Of course."

"Well what's his name!" Kagome suddenly barked, her hands itching to wrap around his throat.

"Ah of course. Well you are to be married to General Kaigaishii's son Miroku." Kagome visibly paled. She just could not believe that her father decided to get her married to Miroku of all people. She got along with Miroku fine, but the thought of actually having to marry him was completely and utterly appalling. She knew that if she were to marry him then –

Her face paled even more. If she were to marry Miroku then they would have to produce an heir for both of their fortunes. Which would mean that they would have to – Kagome's face lost any and all color as that single solitary thought ran through her head. It was now that she definitely knew. Life was toying with her. And it seemed that life loved to torture her as well. Why else would she have been chosen to marry Miroku of all people?

For a brief moment Kagome forgot to breathe, and she urged herself to close her eyes. How could this be happening to her of all people? Once she allowed her lungs to start pumping air into her body Kagome opened her eyes and looked at her father whom was watching her with the utmost amusement. To her it seemed as though he were waiting for her to get her wits about her once more, to make sure that he had her full attention so that he could finish his little speech.

"The wedding itself is going to be in two weeks. Within those two weeks it is important for you to be fully prepared to consummate the union on your wedding night, understood?" Kagome's face drained of all color once more.

"I'm getting married to Miroku father! He'd probably consummate the union right there at the alter! I can't believe you are making me marry-" Kagome immediately quieted down at the sight of her father's shaking shoulders. Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits as she watched him doing his best to suppress his laughter. Her arms found their way across her chest, neatly folding them.

"I do not find this situation humorous." Kagome said in a cold unnatural voice. Her father's soft chuckling ceased immediately and he glanced at her with his a stoic face, although his eyes portrayed his mood. It was then in that slow unfaltering moment that Kagome knew. She was going to be in so much trouble for taking that tone of voice with him. She didn't want to shrink back under that unyielding fiery stare; she wanted to act as though she did not care. But it was too late. A small squeak made it's way through her lips and she sunk down in her chair, visibly afraid of her father.

"This will be said once and only once. If I ever hear you use that tone of voice again you will be punished. Whether you have the attributes of a holy person I care not, you will show me the proper respect or else. Do I make myself clear young lady?" His voice was cold and harsh, and his gaze seemed to be piercing through her entire being. Kagome nodded silently, her eyes on the hands that had worked their way into the folds of her silken gown. She hated it when her father spoke to her like that, as though she were inferior. Although in her society she was technically inferior, it still hurt her to know that the laws biased her father.

"Good. Now to calm your raging conscious it is to be said that you in fact are not going to be marrying Miroku. I was merely having fun with you." Kagome lifted her somber eyes to him acting as though trying to understand come cryptic message. If she were not going to be marrying Miroku then whom was she supposed to marry?

"You will find out at the ceremonial dinner tonight." Her father simply stated as though reading her thoughts. Kagome nodded slowly, taking his silence afterwards as a sign that she was dismissed. She slowly stood up, turning her blue eyes to him momentarily and then bowed. Her father merely nodded and she exited his chambers, her mood considerably somber.

She walked through the corridors, listening to her quiet footfalls and the flickering of the candles that rested perched on their metallic holders. Her mind was simply reeling. She was to be married to someone who she did not know the name of. Although she thought that she was to be married to Miroku for a brief moment, she had learned that it was not true. Another fact she had learned was that her marriage was to be announced at the ceremonial banquet that evening. It was also the same evening where the Emperor's son was to appear before the royal court.

Kagome sighed aloud, not paying attention to where she was headed. Her marriage was to be announced in front of the entire royal court and the Emperor and his son. Somehow she did not like that idea. What would happen if the Emperor were to disapprove of the union and force her father to find someone else to marry? Would she be unwedded until she reached adulthood? It did not help matters that the Emperor always had a certain liking for her. There would be times when she was completely minding her own business and the Emperor would simply show up wherever she was and request an audience with her.

They would spend hours talking with one another, or hours sitting in an uncomfortable silence. Either way it made Kagome uncomfortable. There was always a certain glint in his eyes, as though he were sizing her up for something; it was almost as if he were making sure she was worthy enough to be alive. There would be times when he would show up in her presence unexpectedly and reprimand her for having the bottom of her dress dirtied up from the outside dirt, and then turn around and compliment her for having such a free spirit. But she knew that he disliked it almost as much as the nobles did.

She knew that if anything he would despise having dirt trailing all over the castle floors. Kagome turned another corner not truly caring where she was to arrive. She had an entire afternoon to herself, with absolutely nothing to do. Kagome normally spent her afternoon with her friends or out in the gardens, but at the moment she found that she did not wish to talk to her friends.

All she really wished to do was think to her self most preferably about her marriage arrangement. Her father had in fact stated that she were to be married in two weeks, which meant that the seamstress of the castle possibly already started making her and her future husbands wedding garments. The bride normally got to tell the seamstress how she wished her dress to be fitted and what she wanted it to look like, but Kagome strangely found herself not wanting to care. In fact she found herself suddenly not wanting to be married.

After all those long years of tormenting herself about not getting married, why was it now that she wished she had not been betrothed? It was one of her dreams to be married, but she was still unhappy. Perhaps it was simply the mood that she had left her father's chambers with that suddenly changed her mind.

_'I'll get over this feeling.'_ Kagome thought to herself as she wandered down the halls aimlessly. Giving herself a reassuring nod Kagome looked up and took in her surroundings. She had neared the sleeping chambers. Smiling to herself she made her way to her room, deciding that it would be best to finish the Literature assignment that Governess Toshikasa had given her earlier that week.

* * *

She did not wish to go to the dinner. Every coherent thought that crossed her mind consisted of her ditching the ceremonial banquet. At first she was against the thought, but then the more she thought about it, the more it appealed to her. Although she knew that she would be in so much trouble if she missed the dinner, it couldn't be helped. All she really wanted was to just sit up in her room and gaze at the stars through her window.

But instead, she got stuck with the misfortune of being dressed up in an all too tight satin dress, with her hair pulled up too tightly, and her face painted beyond recognition. After her servants had finished applying the make up to her face, she took it upon herself to remove most of it, but she kept her lips painted, and her face barely powdered. She really despised this part of being the daughter of a noble.

The door to her chambers creaked open, and Kagome went on alert at once. She turned, her eyes half-lidded as she watched the servant whom was standing before her. Or at least that was what she expected to see. Instead she was staring at her Father, who stood tall, his eyes glistening regally.

_'Obviously he must be really happy about this.'_

"I take it that I should make my appearance?" She asked quietly, still irked by the events that had been held earlier in the day. Her father nodded kindly, giving his daughter a very tight smile. Obviously he was still upset about what had transferred between them earlier that day as well. Kagome nodded slowly, sliding off of her bed, and straightening up her black silken sheets.

"Don't move too much Kagome, you will mess up your hair, and you need to look presentable for your future husband." Her father snapped none too nicely. Kagome turned around slowly, a frown apparent on her face. She had at least expected her father to be happy about the fact that she was too be married, but instead he was fussing over her mussing her hair.

_'How typical.'_

"Right." Kagome stated, her voice unusually stoic. After she had straightened out her dress once more, she linked her arm through her father's and they both walked through the dark oak doors and out of her chambers.

They passed many young females down the hall, which all bowed respectfully, although Kagome noticed that most of them were eying her somewhat nastily. Whatever the reason she didn't know, but she could not help but feel nonplussed about the entire deal. She had never known any female in the castle to look at her that way in her life, and the fact that they were starting now – it was simply irregular and Kagome was not in the least bit used to it.

"Bow Kagome." She heard her father say as they approached the dining hall. She spotted Miroku and his father – the General – at once, smiling calmly at him, before curtsying as they both walked by her, entering the dining hall. Then more nobles entered the hall, all in a specific order. First the male head of the families would enter the dining hall, then their male children, the wives, and then their daughters.

Each time Kagome would try to enter (she was allowed to enter the dining hall before her father due to the fact that she had holy attributes) he would place a hand on her shoulder, and continue to make her curtsy while he simply gave each family a bow of his head. By the time all the nobles and soldiers actually entered the dining hall. Kagome's father wisped passed her, leaving her to stand outside the dining hall by herself.

And as much as Kagome really wished she could simply enter the large banquet hall and grace everyone with her presence, she found herself suddenly unable to move. She stood next to the door, her heart caught in her throat, and once again forgetting to breathe. And it was then that she realized that she had always wanted to get married, but the thought of marriage frightened her. And she wasn't just frightened either.

She was utterly, embarrassingly, and undeniably nervous.

Her eyes had glazed over slightly, her blue hues sparkling brightly. If she were to walk into that room, then it would be announced that she had to get married, and she would have to face the man – whom she most likely did not know – and marry him in two weeks. And she did not even know him.

Suddenly, the thought of marrying Miroku appealed to her. It actually appealed to her. Could she truly and honestly be that nervous? As her thoughts, raced around her head, a strong firm hand placed itself on her shoulder, causing her skin to fluctuate under its warm touch

Kagome whirled around quickly, her eyes widening as she collapsed to her knees in an almost embarrassing sort of kneel.

"Emperor Yokoshima." She murmured, bowing her head considerably low. A deep amused chuckle rose from his throat as he watched her, his black hair cropped short, and his red robes cascading loosely around his body like a waterfall. Behind him stood his son, his wavy black hair considerably longer than his fathers, he blue robes situated nicely around his frame, and his face contorted into absolute disgust.

"You may rise Lady Higurashi." The Emperor said slowly. Kagome nodded slowly, rising to her feet and dusting off her dress. She knew that with absolute certainty that whichever man she would have to be married to would be absolutely repulsed by the display that she had shown. Of course the only reason why she had bowed so low was that she had tripped while she was turning around – which resulted in her falling to her knees, dirtying her beautiful blue satin dress.

Kagome's eyes then landed on the Emperor's son, who had averted his eyes elsewhere. A small hint of sadness seemed to appear in her eyes at seeing this. However, she quickly buried that feeling under all of her nervousness and smiled warmly at them.

"Prince Yokoshima, it certainly-"

"You know Lady Higurashi, you do not have to be so formal with him. Call him by his first name." The Emperor said lightheartedly. Kagome merely gaped at him, her blue eyes wide with wonder. Whether he was ordering her to be so informal with him she did not know, but she knew with absolute undoubted certainty that she would rather die than actually risk being punished by someone for improperly addressing the Emperor's son.

"You do remember my sons name don't you? After all when you were children you made very good playmates for four years."

"My Lord, are you absolutely sure that I should call him by his first name?" Kagome asked suddenly feeling the need to twist the belt of her dress in her hands.

"Of course after all you two are going to be-" That was all Kagome heard before everything started making perfect sense to her. The night that her wedding announcement was to be made was the same night that the Prince was having his ceremonial banquet, which led to the announcement that he had found a wife and was to be married and crowned as Emperor.

Then the Emperor had actually told Kagome to address his son by his first name. No woman was ever allowed to address a man by his first name without using the proper title, the only exception being that the woman was either betrothed to a man and or married to him.

Which could only mean that she was to be marrying Prince Yokoshima. He was her child hood friend 7 whole years ago, he was the one that played in the gardens with her, helped her with her studies, and became her best friend. He was also the one that was torn away from her so abruptly because he had to become well versed in politics, war strategies and what was best for their Lands. And he was the extremely handsome man standing in front of her, looking at her with the utmost disgust.

He was the man that Kagome suddenly felt no desire to marry. So she did what any respectable woman would do in a situation such as this.

She fainted.


	3. Chapter Three

**Through the Eyes of An Innocent**

**Chapter Three**

* * *

_She rested her head against his chest, sighing contentedly as his warm arms wrapped around her body. She had just vaguely become aware of the tears that were streaming down her face as blood soaked into her pale blue cloak. She didn't know how long she had been standing there with him, the smell of blood and sulfur rising around them, wrapped in his bodily warmth_

_It had been cold and distant at first, his facial expression disgusted when she threw herself into his arms, but now – now he was holding her close, as though he did not wish for her to slip through his fingers._

_When had he truly started to love her so much? Her blue eyes glistened as more blinding tears spilled from them, causing her ebony black hair to stick in tiny patches to her face. Her hands were clutching onto the chest plate of his armor, desperately trying to seek the warmth that came with that soft flesh that she was only too accustomed to._

_He had murmured something against her hair, something that she was not able to catch, but it didn't matter. She had finally gotten him to open up to her – finally gotten him to accept her as she was. She did not know if it was simply relief or if she were truly happy, but she would have time to sort out those thoughts later. All that mattered was now._

_His own blood was soaking into her elegant cloak, warming up her body in the most disturbing way. She only wished to take him back home and get his wounds treated but – she knew that he would not stand for it. She pulled away from his metal plated chest momentarily, looking up into his burgundy eyes as if searching for an answer to his sudden change in mood._

_He had thought her to be disgusting, repulsive, and downright filthy, as if she were nothing more than a speck of dirt. A part of her wished that it could have remained that way. He continued to stare down at her, the hilt of his sword digging into her hipbone as he pulled her close to him once more._

_It seemed as though he did not wish for her to go._

_"You – you will have to die with me." His thick deep voice reached her ears, startling her out of her reverie. Her face paled considerably and she looked up at him, fear apparent in her eyes. She did not want to die._

_"No, please no." She whispered, ignoring how his arms tightened forcefully around her. The air around them seemed to grow thick, smoke entering her lungs as she inhaled, the scent of blood assaulting her nostrils._

_"Yes. You **have** to die with me. It is your duty after all." His cold chilling voice washed over her body, causing trepidation to seep into every pore of her body. She shook her head vigorously; deciding that then and now would be the only time she would be able to escape him._

_She immediately jerked her body away; a hot searing sensation working it's way through her arms as she tried to fight him. Tears rolled out of her eyes as he started shouting at her, but everything seemed to turn to fuzz when it reached her ears. Her body jerked around violently, that same burning sensation soaring throughout her body, trapping her in a never-ending flame._

_She screamed, watching in trepidation as he disappeared from in front of her and fire consumed her body. What – what had happened? Her skin bubbled, blistering and scarring, burning her flesh and sending a horrid scent to her nose. Tears of agony streamed down her face, causing her skin to hiss, and agony to spread its talons throughout her body._

_She just wanted to get out. Now she wished that she had died with him. Death would have been so much more painless than being tortured. Now flames consumed her being, burning her clothes, her skin, her hair, and smoke filled her lungs and eyes, causing them to water greatly only to cause her more pain. She had never wanted death more than she had now._

_Suddenly, something pierced through her flesh, causing her eyes to snap open and focus on what was in front of her. He was there again, watching her with sorrow filled eyes. His hands had moved away from her chest, revealing a rather large sword hilt protruding from it._

_Funny – she had barely even felt it. She blinked up at him again, opening her mouth as if to say something, but instead, blood rushed from the opening, spilling down her chin and onto the front of her cloak. She lifted a hand up to her mouth, still shocked that he had stabbed her._

_She could still feel the shearing pain in her chest and in her back as he shook his head silently, before placing his hand back on the hilt of the sword._

_"You have to die with me." He stated simply before yanking the sword out of her chest roughly. Flecks of blood flew throughout the air, landing on his tarnished armor, sliding down it gracefully as she fell to her knees rather roughly. She could feel her hot sticky blood washing down her chest and her back, her clothing drinking it up greedily like a wanderer whom had been denied water for weeks._

_She immediately placed a hand to her chest, her eyes glazing over – growing glossy as crimson seeped through her fingers, contrasting greatly with her now pale clammy skin. Sweat poured down her the sides of her face, replacing her blinding tears. Slowly, she pulled a shaky hand away from her chest and looked at it. Crimson dripped elegantly off the tips of her fingers, as he lifted his sword in the air once more, the point of it hovering over her head shortly, before bringing it down on her._

_Her blood being the last thing she saw before darkness consumed her._

Kagome's eyes snapped open taking in the darkness that surrounded her. Sweat dampened her pillows and her sheets, the air around her grossly humid. She instinctively raised a hand to her face, feeling the wet trails of tears on her face once again. She kicked the sheets off of her body, sitting up slowly. She allowed a sigh to escape her lips as she pulled her hair away from her sweaty neck, her eyes closed in deep concentration.

She had had the dream again. Ever since she had found out that she was supposed to be marrying that – vile Prince she had continued to dream about him killing her. They all started the same, her walking out into the middle of a war to aide her fallen husband, and them hugging each other tightly. Then he would say that she needed to die with him, and she would struggle.

It was always the same, except when she was tortured. First it had been ice, then she had been beaten, and now – now she had been trapped within a never-ending fire. It always changed there, but it always ended the same. He always drove his sword through her chest, and for some strange reason she survived long enough to look at the blood on her hand.

She was truly frightened. She had never dreamt of something quite like this. Most of her dreams were happy ones, her subconscious replaying all of the fantasies that she had about getting out of the castle and traveling to different lands, falling in love; all of the things that a woman should be entitled to.

But now, all she was able to dream about was her death, and he was always the one to kill her. Was that little voice inside her head that controlled all of her actions attempting to tell her something? If so it was a very cryptic message. Besides, why would her husband to be wish to kill her?

She was a holy person, as was he, so there was really no reason to actually hate one another. Except for the fact that he had ignored herseven years, but that was not what mattered. What mattered was the fact that she had started to continually have dreams, over and over again, about him killing her.

Was this what was to become of her after she was to be married to him? She sighed slightly, placing a hand to her chest before looking out her window and up at the stars. Whatever this dream was, she decided that it could wait until the morning.

* * *

"No. No. No. Stand straight; never slouch." 

"Always smile."

"Don't fidget."

"And keep your hands folded neatly in front of you – no don't fist them in your dress, clasp them in front of you. Yes – yes that's better."

Kagome let out low growl of frustration as her new advisors bustled around her, giving her orders on how to present herself in front of the entire royal court. Ever since she had been deemed a hopeless case by fainting in front of her Emperor and his son (Miroku had yet to let her live it down) one of the Emperor's late wife's advisors, and her three daughters had come and attempted to turn Kagome into a lady. However it did not seem to go as they had planned.

Each time they had a session together, Kagome would be found out in the garden, splashing around in the small pond, her hair sopping wet, her dress clinging to her, and dirt covering up her dress. She had thought that she had made it clear to everyone that she had no intention of ever becoming a lady, but the Emperor insisted that they go ahead with her training.

And it did not help matters that she was being forced into marrying a man that she felt no desire for whatsoever. It was now a nightly ritual for him to come to dinner, escorting his future wife no less, and attempting to get to know her. It was absolutely horrible.

She had remembered that they had been childhood friends once upon a time but now – now he degraded her every chance he got, he would smite her for getting dirty, and he reprimanded her for being naïve. She had expressed to him once, and only once that she had no desire to bear an heir and he immediately said he did not want to soil his body by indulging in hers, but it was the law, and if she did not withhold the law then she would be punished.

He was rude, insensitive, arrogant, and just downright nasty with her. Kagome guessed that the only thing that actually made his presence bearable was the fact that they were childhood friends and he had grown into a handsome young man, but she would rather – actually she did not know what she would have rather done instead of marrying him, but whatever it was, she knew that it would be a much better fate than marrying him.

"Or better yet, you might want to keep your hands folded neatly behind you, you have the most disgusting nails I have ever seen."

"Not to mention dirt is under them."

"What a hopeless case, she could never be a lady."

Kagome let snort of indignation yanking her hands away from one of her consultants. The three women eyed her warily before shaking their heads.

"Such a nasty attitude. And her skin is so rough. It's almost saddening." The oldest of the three advisors stated. She had short shoulder length black hair, which was almost always pulled back into a ponytail. She had light chocolate colored eyes, and a very slim figure. She looked to be an adult, if the light traces of gray in her hair were any indication.

The other two women, who looked to be a little bit older than Kagome, nodded their heads in agreement. The mother of the two children stepped in front of Kagome eying her with distaste before motioning for one of her daughter to gather up a drying cloth.

"Yuka be careful when drying her hair, she has split ends and it could fall out at any moment. Erri go fetch some clean clothes from her wardrobe, and while you are at it, tell Ayumi to fetch the seamstress. If Lady Higurashi is to be Empress she will need clothes that prove that she is. She cannot walk around in the bland dresses that she wears,"

"Yes mother." The two girls said before walking out of her chambers. Kagome merely shook her head ruefully, sighing tightly. She absolutely hated this. And what was worse, these women were actually insulting her. Weren't they supposed to just give her a personality and physical makeover and be done with it? No, instead they were ridiculing her, picking out all of her faults and blurting them out as if she wasn't even there. She could handle being made over, but she could not handle being insulted, so she decided that she would have to force them to be quiet.

"I am holy you know, and I am going to be future empress, so if you don't stop insulting me, I will see to it that you are punished very," Kagome paused for a moment trying to think of the proper word to say to the older woman," severely. So hold your tongue." Kagome smirked momentarily, crossing her arms across her chest as the older woman backed away from her and curtsied low to the ground.

"Of course Lady Higurashi, my sincerest apologies." She still had not risen when her daughters entered the room. When they all saw the woman bowing before Kagome, they all took initiative and bowed as well. Scoffing inadvertently, Kagome reluctantly allowed them to get back to work.

The seamstress immediately got to working on Kagome's measurements, clicking her tongue in distaste as she measured around her bosom. As the seamstress continued to measure around Kagome's body, the young girl named Yuka brought a drying cloth to her hair, rubbing it furiously causing stray beads of liquid to fly around the room. Erri was holding a simple yellow gown along with Kagome's undergarments, while Ayumi gathered up powder and light red lip paint along with yellow eye paint. Kagome wondered if they even knew that she was not going to keep it on for long; she never did.

After the seamstress had finished and left the room, Erri dressed Kagome (and it didn't escape Kagome's notice that she did it rather roughly). She was dried off first of course, her skin left rather pink because Yuka had decided to rub it raw; but it felt soothed after the cool fabric of her clothes touched her skin.

The eldest woman – whom Kagome still had not taken the time to learn her name – eyed her closely before pulling out a hair ribbon and tying Kagome hair up. Yuka's eyes lit up momentarily before walking back over to Kagome and pulling her hair out.

"She looks much more lovely like this. She should definitely wear her hair down for the ceremony."

"But then how will the tiara stay on her head if it's down?" Ayumi asked. Erri nodded, agreeing with her. The mother looked at Kagome carefully, before sighing in contemplation.

"Well it seems as though she does look more fair with her hair down, but it is best that it stays up. Otherwise she would look most unladylike-"

"Who honestly cares whether I look ladylike or not? It's not like I am trying to impress anyone here." Kagome huffed, finally tired of listening to them argue about her hair. The four women gaped at her, surprised at her sudden outburst. What was she honestly talking about? Of course she was trying to impress someone.

Kagome merely shook her head slowly before lightly shooing the women away from her.

"I'm leaving, don't follow me." Kagome stated before she left the room.

* * *

Kagome sat still, fidgeting nervously under his hardening glare. She really didn't understand – she really couldn't comprehend what had made him hate her so much. She could have sworn that they spent 4 long years as friends, and now it was as if that never even happened. She honestly began to wonder if it was some sort of ludicrous dream – she and him being friends – and that she had just woken up from it.

His voice was always so cold and uninviting; sending unreal shivers up her spine every time he spoke. But if she were to be his wife, she had to get used to it. Besides it wasn't like it was really him – he was taught to act this way towards everyone or else he would be a dysfunctional ruler. And their Lands didn't need a dysfunctional ruler.

Kagome finally looked up at him, wincing as his burgundy eyes burned into hers and turned away once again. She had wanted to say something to him, but as soon as she had looked back up at him she had forgotten – which in her opinion was not a good sign. She inwardly wondered if she were going to be doing the same thing when they were being wedded.

Would she freeze halfway down the aisle if she even laid eyes on him? It was with a saddening heart that she imagined herself turning around and walking back out of the wedding hall to go and cry in her bedroom. She hated it. She hated every single moment of this entire wedding ordeal. And what was worse was the fact that her father – her own father – had arranged this marriage. Hadn't he known how cold and heartless this guy was?

It was absolutely the worse choice in a husband that her father could have ever chosen, but they were both considered holy figures so she could understand how that would reflect on her father. If he had chosen anyone less he would be ridiculed and he would most likely have his title as a Lord denounced. A holy person just did not wed anyone of a lower status.

So she would marry this man for her father, because he already dealt with one loss, and he did not need to deal with another. After setting her mind to that resolution she looked back up at him with a tight smile on her face. They hadn't exchanged words for a long tense moment so maybe it would be best for her to initiate conversation.

"Prince Yokoshima-"

"Silence. I do not wish to hear your voice." He stated coldly, interrupting her in mid-sentence. Kagome merely nodded slowly before turning to gaze out of the window. It was a lost cause. An undeniably lost cause. What was the point of marrying someone if they couldn't even bare to hear their spouses voice?

But she had to try. It was for her father.

"If you'll forgive me-"

"I thought I told you to stay silent." He said glaring down at her. She merely nodded, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes.

_'He must really hate me, but why? It's not like we weren't friends before.'_

Another long moment of silence passed with Kagome fidgeting impatiently, absolutely hating this uncomfortable silence. It slightly reminded her of when she was with the Emperor himself. She snuck another glance at the Prince and with a painful realization came to terms with the fact that he was the Emperor's son, and no longer her friend.

He possessed that same cold façade, the same grim face, and those frigid uninviting eyes. Did becoming and Emperor really do that to someone? If so then, would that happen if she became Empress? Would she lose the exuberance that she possessed? Would she suddenly bow down and accept everything that the laws threw at her? And what would happen if she had to face some of the challenges that came with running a country such as assisting in running the country?

She was very aware of the panic that suddenly decided to bubble up inside of her. She never had any schooling in how to run a country and make decisions. If she was not able to get a proper score on her sums exams then how was she supposed to be able to know which decisions would be proper for her country?

_'That's what my advisors are for.'_She thought to herself bitterly. Sighing loudly (and to the Prince's disappointment) she shifted until she was sitting in a comfortable position. Glancing back up at the Prince (who was still watching her with a disapproving gaze) she decided that she would ignore any protests he might send her way and try to get to know him – again. After all she did not pay attention to what her advisors said so she could simply ask him.

"Prince Yokoshima-"

"I do not know how many times I must tell you this, but I do not wish to hear your voice so stay silent." He retorted, his eyes blazing. That sight alone made Kagome want to shrink back into nothingness, but she would not. She had to go through with what she wanted to ask, and she would. It didn't matter what kind of punishment would ensue afterwards she just had to get the answer to one question.

"Forgive me, but I just want to ask you a question." She said in a hurried rush. She couldn't afford to have him interrupt her once again. The Prince glared at her harshly, wishing that he could simply wrap his hands around her throat or beat some sense into her. She just did not seem to be able to get it through her head that he did not want to talk to her. Let alone look at her. But Kagome persisted, and she wouldn't stop until it was answered.

"One question is all you get."

"Thank you!" Kagome replied bowing her head with renewed respect. After all, if he were taking the time to actually listen to her than he couldn't be all that bad, and then she would be able to actually marry him without problems.

"Well since we are to be married and you are to be Emperor, I was just wondering if I am supposed to help you make any decisions regarding the Lands or anything like that." Prince Yokoshima studied her dubiously before giving her another one of his harsh glares.

"I seriously doubt that the council would even think of asking a deranged girl such as yourself for an opinion on anything regarding these Lands."

"Deranged?" Kagome asked suddenly, her voice quivering slightly from anger. He looked at her once again his eyes hardening and a look of distaste appearing on his face.

"I thought I only gave you permission for one question."

"I don't care! Why are you being so rude to me? I could have sworn we were friends in our previous lives." Kagome retorted, hating the fact that he could even find joy in hurting her feelings.

"We were never friends to begin with. So I suggest that you release that simplistic fantasy of us ever being friends and learn your place." Kagome's fisted her hands in her dress, her knuckles turning stark white. She could feel the prickling sensation behind her eyes alerting her of the fact that tears wanted to be released. Kagome did not understand why that simple fact was such a stab to her pride but it was. How could someone get so much enjoyment out of being so cruel?

It was as if he was not even hearing himself; either that or it did not even faze him. She had remembered him as being a kind, loving young man before, full of smiles and laughter, and never afraid to do what others didn't expect. They had been best friends for four entire years and now – now that had been shattered all because he had duties to withhold.

That fantasy that she had of them ever becoming friends again shattered in that single instant. She knew that it was an impossible thing to ever ask of him because now – now he was immune to the concept of friendship. He had just changed so much in the span of 7 years, and she just couldn't bare it. She knew that she wouldn't be able to marry him. She couldn't marry him. And before she announced that, she had to let him know how she felt – otherwise, her pride would remain wounded and she wouldn't be able to live with that.

"I don't understand what happened when we stopped being friends, but it is to be said that you have become the most chauvinist bastard that I have ever-"

A sharp jolt of pain made it's way through Kagome's face, fading into a numbing sensation. Holding back tears she lifted her hand to her reddened cheek touching it gingerly. What exactly had happened? She knew that she hadn't been expecting him to slap her, not in the least. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she cupped her stinging cheek, looking up at the Prince sadly. Did he honestly hate her that much?

"You will learn to hold your tongue in my presence. Do I make myself clear?" He bit out harshly, just as the door to his sleeping chambers opened. Kagome and Prince Yokoshima both turned towards the door, Kagome's hand still to her cheek and a dazed expression on her face. She came face to face with the Emperor, whom was smirking at Kagome quite arrogantly.

"What a pleasant surprise Lady Kagome, oh and Naraku," he said turning to his son, " your advisors and Lord Higurashi wish to speak to you about the wedding." He merely nodded slowly before getting up and leaving the room with his father.

And Kagome finally let her tears fall. And as much as she did not want to be in his presence, as much as she wished she never had to marry him – she knew that she had to. Because it would be a blow to her pride if she let him get the upper hand. But that wasn't the only reason. She had to remember; and it would be the only reason that would strengthen her resolve.

She had to remember that – that she was doing this for her father.


	4. Chapter Four

**Through the Eyes of An Innocent**

**Chapter Four**

* * *

"So why are we doing this again?" A disgruntled young man asked his female companion. They were both walking down a narrow path, packs slung over their shoulder, adorned in black cloaks, and one horse – which was being guided by the female. They had been traveling relatively long, through the green pastures, to the dry sand domes, and now – now they were both walking through a dreary forest, which was thick with vegetation dead and alive, where barely any sunbeams were visible.

Thick gnarled tree roots protruded from the path, forcing them to break their stride every once in a while, just so they could maneuver around them, which proved to be difficult with the stubborn horse that they had in tow, but they had managed nonetheless. They were completely stuck in the gloom of the forest, allowing the occasional sunbeam to direct them, and for a while it seemed as if there would be no single way out of the forest.

"We are doing this for your brother." She stated plainly, tugging on the horses reins rather roughly. She had been rather irritated for the passed few days, having to deal with the arrogant young man besides her, but she knew that she would have to make due. After all the only reason why she had decided to accompany him on this journey in the first place because she was like his younger sister – well that and he had begged her to.

The sight of him throwing that tiny tangent had been enough to bring her into hysterics, and she just had to say yes, otherwise there would be no absolute way to repay him for looking so – _childish_. It was simply priceless. Although after traveling with him for a fortnight, she had immediately regretted ever deciding to accompany him. For one, he did nothing but complain. Of course she was used to it, but after a while it was simply aggravating. It was almost as if complaining were a second nature to her male friend, and quite frankly, she would rather deal with his "arrogant I-don't-care-about-anyone" façade than deal with this.

But life just did not seem to want to go her way. And that was something she would simply have to deal with. A terse moment of silence passed between the two, as they stepped around another tree root, the male straightening his cloak, while the female petted the horse absently, before he responded.

"But he's a bastard. Why exactly did I agree to help him?" He asked once again, running a clawed hand through his silver locks. The brunette looked at him, her burgundy eyes showing with absolute annoyance. She was really getting tired of this conversation.

"Djinn. Nuptials. Djinn. New Emperor. Djinn. His Wife. And oh yes Djinn. You just happened to be the best person to go sneaking around and do his dirty work." She said, tilting her head to the side to study his features. He merely let out a snort of indifference before sidestepping some brush and walking under a thin beam of sunlight.

"Oh don't I just feel so honored?" He retorted sarcastically. He could literally feel her roll her eyes. He could not help but smirk inwardly.

"Well I'm glad. Now do you think its all possible if you could just stay silent?" She asked, her palm sweaty from grasping the reins so tightly. He merely responded by letting out a snort of indifference before continuing to walk in a companionable silence. Twigs and leaves snapped under their feet, as their cloaks billowed elegantly behind them, giving off little currents of winds, effectively cooling the chest of the horse.

It didn't help that the two of them had been walking nearly all day – without rest and food – but they had a deadline and they simply could not afford to lose any time. The marriage ceremony between the future Emperor and his newly found wife was only a single night away, and they had to at least be there for the presentation ceremony.

The woman-child sighed switching rein hands once again, wiping her sweaty palm off on the cool fabric of her robe. The silence that reached her ears was calming, soothing and extremely comforting, its only downfall was that it was transpiring within an extremely gloomy forest. What she'd give to be in a nice never-ending green field.

"Oi, Sango." The male asked suddenly, turning his amber eyes to her burgundy ones, questions racing through them almost at once. The said girl looked at him, noticing that same simple look in his eyes, knowing that without a doubt he was going to be asking the same exact question that he had asked her so many times before. So out of newfound habit, she yanked on the horses reins and urged it to go faster.

But once again, it remained stubborn. She sometimes wondered if the horse and her friend made some sort of telepathic connection or something while she had been unaware of it, because she could not help but notice that every time he asked her a question – and every time she tried to avoid it – that damned horse of hers always faltered in it's walking. So instead of trying to fight it, she just gave and decided to endure it.

Taking her slumped shoulders as a sign of her submission, he smirked smugly before patting the horse on it's back.

"How long do you think it would be before we get to the Northern Lands?" He asked yanking on the horses reins to get it to start walking. The horse did so obediently. Sango let out a small grunt of aggravation, before walking ahead of her companions. She took a look at her surroundings, taking in the deadened brush, the rotting trees, and then the very little sunlight that made it into the thick part of the forest they were located in.

"I would say about maybe – tomorrow. We should be there by tomorrow." Sango said as her companion swore colorfully. She looked back at him, and eyebrow arched in amusement before pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"What's wrong with-" suddenly Sango stopped talking as the sound of people talking reached their ears. She looked back at her companion, a worried expression on her face before they came to a complete halt. They stood in silence for a brief moment before she looked back at him; terror threatening to seep it's way into her body.

"Inuyasha?" She asked quietly as he reached around the horse and pulled off an extremely large weapon wrapped in black silk. He handed it to her effortlessly, ignoring her silent protests, before fingering the hilt of a katana that was resting needlessly by his side. He glanced at her momentarily, nodding his head for her to continue. She smiled almost gratefully before glancing ahead of her as the voices drew nearer.

"Do you think that they are-"

"I have no idea." He stated, waiting a little longer for them to reach them. He inwardly hoped that there wouldn't be any trouble. They honestly could not afford to run into any trouble; after all they had to make it to the Northern Lands by a certain time. As the voices drew nearer, Sango and Inuyasha could barely make out the outlines of their figures. The approaching men seemed oblivious to the two travelers, walking and talking as if nothing else in the world matter. A large wagon trailed behind them, filled with weapons clothes and probably stolen goods. The men pulling the small wagon around were adorned in what appeared to be chain mail and thick wooly pants.

There were weapons by their sides, swords, and axes, their covers dull and worn, probably from extensive travel. Inuyasha swore colorfully, and a little too loud at that. The men stopped, looking at the two people in front of them, both holding weapons, a horse in tow. They took in their extremely beautiful cloaks, the baggage that they carried, and the extremely regal horse that followed. Their gazes lingered on Sango for a bit too long before exchanging knowing glances with each other.

A bald man, with an extremely thick mustache, and a bulky figure stepped forward, leering at Sango.

"Give us all your goods, including the girl and we'll consider letting you live." He said with a broken accent. Inuyasha let out a long sigh of frustration, while Sango merely muttered to herself.

"Just what we need – bandits."

* * *

Kagome sat at her desk, her quill tapping noiselessly against her parchment, and a long lock of ebony hair twirling needlessly around her finger. She stared at the wall in front of her stonily, her blue eyes glossy as thoughts among thoughts ran through her mind. The main thing that she was thinking about however was the fact that her wedding was tomorrow. She allowed herself to sigh nervously as she thought about it.

She was to be married to Prince Naraku Yokoshima. He was the dark haired, dark eyed man that women lusted after, dreamed of marrying, and would kill someone just to get their hands on him. Kagome, however, was not one of them. Only a couple days back, they had gotten into a disagreement, and she had been hit rather brutally at that.

Kagome could not just bring herself to believe that he had done it out of the cruelty of his heart, for she knew that he never used to be that way. He used to be so kind and comforting, and now – now if he were cruel then – she was going to be doing it for her father. He had hit her, and it stung her body and her pride, but she did not let it get the best of her. Whenever they were in each other's presence, she would make sure that she would not speak. She would speak if she were spoken to, however, she would do her best to make sure that it was at least 5 words or less.

She also had to make sure to keep her anger in check. There were so many times when she had felt ready to explode – to just give him a piece of her mind, but she made absolute certain that she kept her mouth shut. Sometimes she had to resort to biting her tongue until she drew blood, but as long as she kept quiet, the pain was definitely worth it.

Because of this newfound respect for the Prince that she had acquired, people started to believe that she was actually worthy of becoming his bride. She would get complimented in the corridors, spoken too more than once at drinking ceremonies, and people would even come to her while she was spending her afternoons in the gardens just to speak with her. Many women would still give her the dirtiest looks that they could muster due to the fact that she was still to marry Prince Yokoshima, but they had started to believe that she was also the perfect match for him.

For some strangely odd reason she even started paying attention during her lessons with her consultants. Of course she still had her lessons with Governess Toshikasa, but those had begun to get bleaker and bleaker every day. Because of the fact that she had been preparing for the wedding and due to tradition the entire last week of her life consisted of nothing but fasting. She still had to drink water – but not having proper nourishment made her more lazy and lethargic when it came to her assignments.

She continued to daydream and once again she continued to get reprimanded. She had a perfectly good excuse and that had allowed her to get off more than once. However Kagome knew that if she did not at least get started on her Literature assignment that she was supposed to working on in that very instant she would be slapped on the wrist as a mild form of punishment.

Her eyes came back into focus for a moment as that single thought crossed her mind and she looked around the room, only to find that Governess Kaede had resorted to reading over her last Literature piece. Kagome had come to the conclusion a fortnight ago that writing Literature papers were hard and very inappropriate. She could tell that whenever she hit a rough spot she would wrinkle her nose in disinterest, and then allow a large extremely obvious frown to appear on her face. Afterwards, Governess Kaede would dip her quill into some ink, write a suggestion or a correction on the parchment and then continue to read it.

Kagome had secretly hoped that she would go easier on her papers, since she was of course going to be crowned Empress tomorrow, but that dream had been cut short when she had received a sums paper back. She had one of the lowest scores that she had ever thought she could possibly receive and it was only then that she realized that she was supposed to be doing better than she used to.

Due to the fact that she _was_going to be Empress in a day Kaede had actually started to expect better things from her. But Kagome could only reason that just because she was supposed to be Empress did not mean that she would suddenly grow smarter overnight. Kagome still marveled at what was actually expected of her from Governess Kaede, but it still didn't matter after all as soon as she was married, she didn't exactly _have_to continue to go to these lessons.

Kagome let out a long exasperated sigh and looked down at her parchment. Even though she was supposed to be future empress, that still did not get her out of not doing her Literature. So it was with little precision that she started to actually write on the parchment. However, all that she had actually managed to write down was one little line when the door suddenly burst open.

Kagome glanced at the door, looking a befuddled servant, before turning back towards her parchment. She at least had to do one last assignment before she was crowned Empress so she decided that she at least make the best of it. Kagome sighed as she heard her Governess stand up and walk over to the servant.

She slowly dipped her quill into her ink and stared at the parchment. Where had all of her inspiration gone? She was definitely certain that she had at least a couple of ideas in her head only a moment ago. She let out a huff of indignation as she closed her eyes to try to think. The voice of her Governess drifted to her ears for only a brief second before it drifted away.

"What is it that you have come to me for?" Kaede asked, her voice barely audible as it drifted to Kagome's ears. That was when it happened. A strange indescribable feeling slowly began to spread its talons throughout Kagome's body, shooting from her head to her toes, from the tips of her fingernails to the ends of her hair. Everywhere it went it left some strange, warm yet cold sensation in it's wake. It was almost as if her body were on fire, and yet buried in ice at the same time.

It wasn't painful – it actually felt somewhat nice, but then –then it felt as if her very life were being drained from her. And that was when she saw it. There was a man, with a long silvery white beard, and piercing green eyes, staring at her. At first, she merely believed it to be a picture in her head, but the more she saw him, the more she found that it were more like a memory. Only – it was a memory of a man she had never seen before. He was dressed in long white blue and white robes, the crest of the dragonfly, embroidered in beautiful gold thread across the chest.

It was then that she became vaguely aware of the fact that her hand was drifting cautiously across the parchment. Kagome wanted to open her eyes, to see what it was that she was writing, but something was urging her to keep her eyes closed, and so she did. Then the picture slowly faded from the elderly man, to a vision of her. She wondered why it was she was seeing herself, but then the vision of her, crowned as Empress faded from her mind, and a vision of her intended came into her mind.

She inwardly cringed. She could still feel her hand drifting across the paper, the quill in her hand sending a foreign warm fuzzy feeling into her hand, and then throughout the rest of her body. As the vision of Naraku faded into her mind, she caught a glimpse of silver and then – the visions started going by faster.

_Blood, death, destruction, hate, love, hope, repair, and life._ All of those things flashed through her mind as she felt her hand begin to speed across the paper, a strange feeling being left in it's wake. And then as soon as it had started – it stopped. Kagome's eyes fluttered open slowly, her blue eyes sparkling with an unknown intensity.

The alien feeling of having the life drained out of her, and strength entering her body disappeared, leaving Kagome feeling oddly empty and cold inside. For a moment, just a brief moment, she had hoped that it returned to her body, just so she could feel that wonderful feeling of being hot and cold at the same time, but there was still the matter of what she had written on the paper to attend to.

She glanced down at the quill in her hand, aware of the fact that the sizzling feeling had disappeared along with all of the other sensations that entered her body only moments ago. As Kagome glanced down at her paper, her eyes widened at the beautiful writing that had been left in its wake. She knew that without a doubt her writing had not been _that_ beautiful, but now, she was staring at caricatures that were so beautifully written it was unbelievable.

And it was then, that the words came to her. As she read them, they made complete sense to her, but she knew that if anyone else attempted to read this that they would have been so completely confused that – well they would not know what to think of it. Her eyes had widened a slight fraction more as she continued to read the message – over and over again, word after word – until she was finally able to grasp the concept of what it meant.

And if she had written what she thought she had written then –

"Lady Higurashi!" Governess Kaede scolded as the Higurashi-child stared wide-eyed at the parchment in front of her. Kagome turned towards Kaede, her heart beating wildly in her chest as she looked at the elderly woman, her eyes wide in what appeared to be fear. Kaede however, merely dismissed it as the girl was startled at the sudden sound of her voice.

"Lady Higurashi," Kaede started once more grateful that she had her students undivided attention," a servant has just informed me of an important event."

Kagome merely nodded, urging her to go on, but not forgetting about the parchment that she clutched tightly in her hands.

"A servant has just told me that the Djinn – all twelve of them – had just written a prophecy, and apparently they are all the same. You as the future Empress, are supposed to go and meet Prince Yokoshima and examine the Prophecies to see if you are able to decipher them. Although we both know that it would be extremely difficult, it is believed that since both of you are holy that you will be able decipher them together." Kaede explained, motioning for Kagome to stand.

When the child did not stand however, Kaede took it upon herself to slap her lightly on the wrist, and then pull her up and usher her out the door.

Kagome allowed it to happen, but first she made sure to tuck the piece of parchment into a pocket of her dress before leaving the room.

* * *

She was nervous. Her palms were sweating, her heart rate had accelerated immensely, more than 3 of her nails had been nibbled on,_and_she was fidgeting. It didn't help that the pristine white wedding gown she wore was sticking to her body with the utmost annoyance. Her hair had been pulled into a bun, with two loose curls framing the side of her face. She wore an extremely lengthy veil, which trailed behind her, and on the front of her dress was the dragonfly crest, only instead of being gold, it was silver.

She had baby white roses pinned to the thin shoulder straps of her dress, which allowed her to show off the creamy skin of her long arms. A silver chained necklace was hanging daintily from around her, a crescent moon with a ruby encrusted in its middle hanging from a link. Her father had given it to her only moments before. He had stated that it belonged to her mother before she had died, and he had wanted her to have it when she was old enough. Obviously now she classified as being old enough to have something that belonged to her mother, and it made her feel exceptionally happy.

However, that happiness didn't overpower the fact that she was going to be married to the most powerful man in the entire Northern Lands. There was still the fact that he was arrogant and rude, not to mention that he had hit her once (which she still had not told anyone) and that he couldn't stand to be around her, but other than that she was just nervous of the fact that she was going to be married. And she was only going to be married once.

She assumed that even if she were to marry Miroku, she would still be unremarkably nervous, but she barely had time to continue to ponder that thought when the door opened, and an extremely familiar servant made herself present.

Kagome turned towards the door, smiling brightly as the young servant smiled at her master bowing low before scampering over to her.

"Lady Higurashi, Rin would like to know how you are feeling. Happy? Excited? Nervous? Upset? Which one, which one?" The girl asked the slightly elder one, her russet eyes shining brightly. Kagome let a small chuckle escape her throat before reaching out a hand to the child.

"I'm nervous Rin, but I am also excited, you know? A part of me doesn't want to marry him, but the other part of me has to. So honestly there really isn't anything I can do about it, but make the best of this situation." Rin sat down before Kagome, her eyes shining brightly before bowing her head appreciatively. Kagome spared her another smile before patting her brown hair gently.

"Lady Kagome – um – do you think it would be at all possible for you to appoint Rin as your chamber maid? Rin means that she would really like to be able to get out of the regular servants quarters and you are really kind to me so-"

"I'll have to see what I can do Rin, but I would love to have you as my chambermaid. Now, can you go see if it's time-"

"LADY HIGURASHI!" Three voices yelled at once. Kagome and Rin both turned towards the door where Yuka, Ayumi, and Erri entered the chambers, looking somewhat disgruntled. They were all adorned in feathery blue dresses, their hair pulled up into French Twists, and they all had their make-up lightly applied to their faces. Yuka seemed to be the most frantic one of all, her hands twisting nervously in dress, as Ayumi and Erri knocked Rin out of the way none too gently and hauled Kagome up before putting the finishing touches on her, which consisted of two beautiful white and silver studded hand gloves which reached her elbows.

Kagome smiled apologetically as the three girls straightened Kagome out, before pulling her out of the room. Kagome was ushered quickly down the hall, while Erri and Yuka immediately told her of all of the procedures of what to go through such as to always smile, keep her hands folded neatly in front of her, and to make sure that she kept her eyes ahead of her at all times.

Kagome was merely able to nod as she was led to the marriage hall. She was stopped quickly outside of two extremely large oak doors and immediately the three girls did last minute touchups. While this occurred Kagome could feel her heart begin to beat twenty times faster. She had absolutely no idea that she was going to be this nervous. She could feel her hands begin to get sweaty again, and she had the undeniable urge to start chewing on her nails again.

Yuka, Erri, and Ayumi all started to whisper hurriedly to her, all of what they were saying only managed to reach her ears and turn to fuzz, but she could understand what they were meaning to say.

After taking a deep breath, Kagome folded her hands in front of her neatly and stood up straight. She could picture her father standing there happily, his brown eyes bright with happiness as he watched her walk towards her future. She allowed her self to gulp incredibly loudly, before composing herself, and waiting as Ayumi knocked lightly on the door.

Kagome had no idea of what was going on inside, but she knew that it had to be important. At that moment, her future husband was supposedly getting the laws read to him before she was to enter. She kept her hands folded neatly in front of her, her pulse speeding up to new heights, and almost as soon as she left out another breath of air, the doors in front of her swung opened, and she gazed into the large, pristine white halls.

She took an anticipated step forward, allowing herself to enter the hall entirely before she allowed her eyes to land on Naraku. And almost at once, she felt her body freeze, and her eyes widen in terror. She could hear the voices of the many castle residence, whispering around her, wondering why she had suddenly stopped. They would probably ridicule her if she stood completely still the entire time; so she did the first thing that came to her mind.

She _curtsied._

The people in the giant hall gasped, surprise eminent in their eyes as she stood once more, and locked eyes with her father. He was watching her, his eyes filled with tears, and his lips quirked up in the biggest smile that Kagome had ever seen him create. Tears began to well up in her own eyes as she watched the display, returning a smile of her own.

Everyone's breath caught in his or her throat. Never in their entire life had they seen anything as beautiful as her smile. They continued to watch in awe as Kagome walked down the aisle, her hands folded neatly in front of her and her dress trailing behind her elegantly.

As she finally made it up to the altar, she could feel the sense of relief flowing vibrantly from the people of the royal court. She then outstretched her arm, silently motioning for Naraku to interlock his arm with hers, which he did so obediently.

As soon as their arms were locked however, a strange empty feeling entered Kagome's body, as if wrenching the very happiness away from her. That same feeling of being burnt and frozen at the same time coursed its way through her veins trying to tell her – attempting to let her know that something was missing. She glanced around herself, refraining from chewing on her lips nervously as she and Naraku both turned towards the audience and bowed regally, both of them silently wishing that this entire ceremony would be over soon.

After they had finished bowing they stood up straight and looked towards the Emperor, who stood to the side of them watching them both with the utmost interest. Kagome noticed that the Emperor's eyes still held that arrogant sort of twinkle in them however, that same arrogance that he wore on his face the same day that Naraku –

Kagome willed herself not to remember that. It was her wedding day and she had to be happy. But – she wasn't. And for once it had nothing to do with the fact that she was being forced to marry the same man that had hit her. Instead it had to do with that strange feeling as though she were missing something important. Almost as though she had passed something up when she had first started off the day.

Or perhaps it had something to do with the incident that had happened to her the other day. That strange message that she had written yet so fully understood – and it annoyed her because she found that she couldn't speak a word of it to anyone even though she really wished that she could have. She had tried speaking to Miroku about it, but as soon as the first word left her mouth, she found herself unable to do anything anymore. Her mind simply went blank and she felt so incredibly weak.

Kagome sighed softly, inadvertently leaning into Naraku. She had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn't realized the notion she made, or the fact that everyone was watching her with wide eyes. This type of affection was not to be displayed so openly – especially at a wedding. Everything was simply supposed to go smoothly. The groom would be briefed on the laws of the Lands, and then the bride would enter, link arms with the groom and then be crowned by the Emperor. Afterwards they would be presented to the people of the Lands and be officially dubbed Emperor and Empress.

But no – instead just as the Emperor was to give up his title, Kagome involuntarily fell against Naraku's arm, gripping it tightly. Naraku merely glanced down at her, his eyes filled with annoyance. What was this simple girl doing? He withdrew his arms from hers and placed it on her shoulder, shaking her gently as he tried to get her to snap back into reality.

She however did not cooperate.

She did not know when it had started, those same pictures flashing across her thoughts as the thought of that cryptic message played across her mind, but she felt the urge to give again – to give whatever it was that she felt stirring in her body. It was stronger than before, burning inside of her and yet sending that same frigid feeling through her veins once again.

It wasn't the only thing that seemed to be bothering her however. She kept seeing those haunting images. The ones of Naraku killing her, and of the same man in the white, wearing the crest of her Lands. Then there were the visions of hate, death, love and life. They all intermingled with each other, becoming one solid thread woven into a single giant tapestry that was the map of human life.

But each time those visions danced around in her head, she feared them. They kept swarming into her mind, drowning her in sadness, happiness, anxiety, hate, love – all of the emotions that one single person would be able to experience in a single lifetime. However, the only emotions that Kagome had ever experienced in her life were happiness and sadness. Was she truly that naïve? And she wondered, what would happen if she knew what hate was? The simple thought of thought set her mind on fire.

Tears flooded her eyes as she clutched Naraku's arm tighter and she sniffled, looking up at him. They used to be good friends – and now he couldn't stand her. And here she was marrying him, all because she did not want her father to get thrown out into the streets for allowing his "holy" child to marry someone of lesser status.

The tears came full force as she pulled away from Naraku, allowing her tears to fall. She knew that to any other person, she would simply be crying out of happiness, but inside – she was in misery. All of these visions – these feelings – they were simply too much for Kagome.

She didn't know when the Emperor had started talking, or when Naraku had bent down to be crowned but he had. It wasn't exactly a crown that was placed upon his head however. Instead he was given a beautiful silver katana, with a ruby incrusted hilt and a strange inscription engraved into it. Kagome watched him for a minute, ignoring the words that his father spoke before chancing a glance towards her own father.

He was watching her with an extremely worried expression on her face, and she already knew what would be coming to her. The tears came to her eyes once more as she thought of the sacrifice that she was going to be making if she accepted the tiara that was to be given to her in a short moment – and then after that she was to be presented to the people of the Northern Lands. She wondered if she would even be able to make it through the rest of the wedding.

The Emperor glanced at Kagome momentarily before one of the Nobles walked over to him, carrying a plush red pillow with a silver diamond incrusted tiara on it. If Kagome were anyone else her eyes would have glazed over – but instead the tears only came faster as she curtsied, waiting for the Emperor to place the tiara on her head in place of her veil.

At first she almost was unable to hear the words that permeated from his mouth – for they were so quiet and calm, but when she did she realized that full force of responsibility that was being bestowed upon her. She realized that with a heavy heart she truly was going to be deemed Empress and there was truly nothing that she would be able to do about it.

"Lady Higurashi, daughter of Lord Higurashi – you have been chosen by me Onigumo Yokoshima, the current Emperor of the Northern Lands to be bound to my son Naraku Yokoshima through that of marriage. Within this time you must learn to love honor and obey him – provide an heir for him – and be willing to give yourself up completely for him. For many this is not a sacrifice that one would wish to make – for with this marriage comes the possibility of death and pain – but because you have the holy attributes of that of the Djinn you are considered strong beyond belief and worthy of marrying my son. Do you accept the duties of becoming Empress – to assist my son in running these Lands with an iron fist and a sturdy heart? Although you may not know the paths that lie ahead of you – whether it be death and hate – love and life – will you accept this heavy burden and responsibility?" The Emperor asked, lifting the tiara delicately from the plush pillow.

Kagome remained silent for a moment, many thoughts running through her head. If she were to marry him, that would mean that she would be the Empress and she would be forced to make decisions for or with her husband. It would also mean that her life was completely his – if his life were in danger she would be forced to die with him.

_'You – you have to die with me.'_

"No." Kagome whispered, completely unaware of the whispers that surrounded her. The entire population of the castle had been so deadly quiet, that even though she had spoken the words so quietly they were still able to hear her. She could hear her father go into a slight coughing fit, but her eyes remained focused on the ground. What exactly had she said that had sent these people into frenzy?

"Pardon?" The Emperor asked, clutching the tiara so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. Kagome glanced up looking at the Emperor with a confused expression before what she had uttered came back at her full force. Her eyes widened in mild surprise before she bowed her head in respect and muttered incoherent apologies over and over.

And she felt like a complete idiot. If she were to refuse this marriage then her father would lose absolutely everything – and she could be tried and executed for treason. And she knew that her father already suffered one completely unbearable loss – and quite frankly she didn't want to be the cause of another one. Besides she was all he had and if she gave that up –

"Forgive me my Lord. I was not thinking properly. Yes, I would be honored to accept this responsibility. I will accept the responsibility of being bound to your son through marriage, I am willing to provide and heir for him – love and care for him – and if necessary I will," Kagome found herself trailing off for a minute as a brief memory of her dream passed through her mind once more," I will be willing to die for him."

At first she didn't feel it, but then it felt as if an entire weight had been lifted from her body – only to be replaced when the Emperor placed the tiara on her head once more. She had just accepted the responsibility of being the Empress, but that wasn't what had bothered her. She was now wed. And there would be nothing to change that.

Would she ever be truly happy like this? Would she continue to be able to live a life with someone that she knew disliked her beyond all belief? She didn't know, but as she stood up and turned to place her lips firmly against Naraku's to seal the marital agreement between the two families she knew that there would be no way to escape this other than death. And quite frankly she wasn't ready to die.

So she would simply have to deal with what the future brought her. But before she was able to delve into what the future brought her – she had to deal with the people.

* * *

Inuyasha and Sango darted through the crowd, making sure to check their horse into the stables. The rest of the journey to the Northern Lands had been hectic – they had run into bandits and then they had run into merchants who thought it would be best to try to drink them dry of what little money they had left.

Unfortunately for the merchants, Sango and Inuyasha had not given into that simplistic temptation of buying unworthy and unsatisfactory goods and had threatened to actually kill the merchants if they did not leave them be. After they had gotten through that simple time however it had started to rain – and they were stuck traveling through mud and rain – their clothes heavy in weight due to the fact that they were soaked in water.

They had made it to the village however, just as the presentation of the newly weds were about to start. They both still had their weapons on them, afraid of the fact that if they left them at the stables with their horse that they would be stolen – and their weapons were definitely needed in case something awry had occurred.

And so now they were both running through the crowds, Sango's boomerang knocking people out of the way accidentally, and Inuyasha trailing not to far behind her, both of them wisps of silver and black. The entire population of the Northern Lands were all migrating towards the desired spot – the center of the large city – which was infested with slaves whom had to work in order to make this possible: setting up barricades so that the more fortunate people of the municipal would not attempt to get into the castle.

In truth they both did not know how long the ceremony would take, but they would have to sit through it. After all they both had to know what the Emperor and his newfound Empress looked like. It was part of their jobs after all.

They both had to figure out as much about these Lands and it's ruler as possible – for the Lord of the Southern Land planned to overthrow them. It was rumored that the Northern Lands were more beautiful than ever imagined – and since Inuyasha and Sango had both entered the Lands they had found that too be true.

Large sand domes, which could kill a man, surrounded the Lands themselves but due to the special attributes that Inuyasha had possessed; he had been the only thing that had led them to humanity. The Lands were thick with vegetation and civilization, but it seemed as though the people treasured that despite that fact that people outnumbered land.

Somehow they had managed to keep that under control. Now Inuyasha and Sango were in the capital city – where the Imperial Palace was located – which supposedly housed not only the Emperor and his Empress, but the entire royal court, the entire Imperial Army and the Djinn.

It was simply a gold mine. The only thing that would be a problem would be the fact that they would have to get jobs there – and quite frankly Inuyasha and Sango were not exactly up to working beneath someone.

They both slowed to a stop, catching their breath as they stood towards the back of the large crowd, which was stationed in front of a large balcony where the new Empress and Emperor were to be presented. The balcony was draped in beautiful white tapestries; promoting the fact the Empress and the Emperor were pure of heart.

Inuyasha and Sango exchanged incredulous looks as a group of 4 females and one guy stationed themselves next to them. Inuyasha and Sango spared them a glance before looking back towards the balcony – their complete attention on the ceremony that was about to ensue. However they were not oblivious to the strange looks that the small group had given them before turning their attention back towards the balcony themselves.

A horn blared, alerting everyone of the fact that the Emperor and Empress were to make their appearance. The curtains that blocked the doorway to the castle opened, revealing a man with short black hair adorned in red robes with a golden crest of a dragonfly on them smiling brightly at his nation. Cheers erupted from the crowd, however Inuyasha and Sango remained silent, along with the tiny group stationed near them.

The man whom they both assumed to be the former Emperor waited until the crowd quieted down before addressing the people of his Lands.

"It is to be said that the union between my son and the choice of bride has been successful."

"Successful?" Inuyasha whispered to Sango – ignoring a large part of the speech that the former Emperor continued to give. Sango merely looked at him, shrugging her shoulders gracefully before motioning for him to turn his gaze back towards the Emperor who was motioning towards the curtains behind him.

"And without further ado, I would like to present my son Naraku Yokoshima and his bride Lady Kagome Higurashi as your future Emperor and Empress." The said people walked out, both bowing regally before the people before standing up straight and looking out towards the people.

But all Inuyasha was able to see was the Empress herself. She was absolutely beautiful. And her eyes – even from the distance that he was at he was still able to see the beautiful cerulean gray hues shining out at them. The only thing was – they were underplayed with sadness. Inuyasha titled his head to the side, ignoring the incredulous look that Sango was giving him.

And that was when he noticed that the crowd was deathly silent. He glanced up, looking towards Sango before looking back towards the crowd, whom all were standing from previously bowing extremely low.

And then that was when it happened. Someone threw something up to the balcony and it hit the Empress in the cheek. But all she managed to do was place her fingers gingerly to her cheek and smile out at the crowd, an apologetic look spreading across her face. Then suddenly the entire crowd erupted in jeers.

Whether the Empress was hurt or not she did not show, she simply smiled at the crowd, the pain not entirely evident in her features.

"So that's the one?" a quiet voice asked. Both Inuyasha and Sango wisped their heads around to look at the group that were huddled together, speaking quietly yet loud enough for those around them to hear. Intrigued Sango walked towards the group, grasping the strap of her giant weapon, a pensive smile on her face.

"Excuse me – but why does everyone seem to hate her?" Sango asked, ignoring the baffled looks from the group. Inuyasha joined her at her side only a moment later, keeping one ear trained on the crowd and one on what was transpiring between Sango and the simple group.

"You aren't from around here are you?" A cold voice asked. The voice drew in Inuyasha immediately, as he turned giving the woman his full attention. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, and then back at the balcony – his mouth dropping open in astonishment. What in the world was going on here? Why did these two women look so alike?

"No we're not." Sango answered, elbowing Inuyasha in the ribs before smiling almost kindly at the woman. The woman simply trained her emotionless brown eyes on Inuyasha before looking back towards the balcony, on which the Emperor was whispering fiercely to some guards on the balcony.

"I figured that much. My name is Kikyou – perhaps you should come with me. I will be able to explain everything." She stated. Sango nodded eagerly, motioning for Inuyasha to follow.

And Inuyasha did – but not after casting one last meditative glance towards the Empress.


	5. Chapter Five

**Through the Eyes of an Innocent**

**Chapter Five**

* * *

It was over.

All of the nervousness that she had felt within that single moment – when she had spoken those fatal words that bound her to him – they were over. It was as if she were free from the curse that had been brought upon her by her father and the Late Emperor.

Although – she knew that it would never be that way. She was now married to him and there would be no way out of that. Not now – and not ever. She was now completely devoted to him and him alone. And Kagome simply hated that fact.

Maybe if she had not have had blue eyes it would have been different, she would not have had to marry –

Kagome sighed and rubbed her temples slowly. There really was no point in continuing to dwell on what had already come to past. Even though Kagome knew that she would have had it some other way, she could not change the decision that was made.

She had promised her heart, body, and soul to Naraku and there would be nothing that could change that – even if she did dislike the decision. It would probably be a lifetime in hell, but she had simply done it out of love for her father and his well-being.

Kagome let out an undignified snort. The more she thought about it the more she realized the decision she made was too rash. She should have known that the Late Emperor wanted her to be in his family too much to actually kill her if he said no. He most likely would have pulled some strings to bring her into the family without having her marry his son.

And all of the possibilities running through Kagome's mind made her grow pale with anticipation.

"Well, better not to think about that." Kagome mumbled as she turned to look in her vanity. It was amazing how much she had already changed since the morning the wedding had passed. It had only been three hours since the wedding had taken place, and already Kagome could see the stress that was falling upon her being.

But the thing that she could not understand was how much different she looked with that silver tiara atop her head. It seemed as though so many problems had been intertwined within her being – so many responsibilities. She did not know if it were possible or not but she looked years older already.

Was this what was supposed to happen? Kagome sighed audibly and closed her eyes while scooting away from her vanity. This whole ordeal was going to be a nightmare. She had not even begun her duties and she was already feeling the effects that it was having on her.

"You just need to calm down Kagome." She muttered to herself.

"You do know that it wouldn't be in your best interest to start talking to yourself. People might not want to have an insane Empress leading their country." An amused voice said from her door. Kagome jumped visibly and turned around, her blue eyes wide from shock.

"My, my Lady Higurashi, normally people say hi when their friends come to greet them." The violet-eyed boy stated, trying his best to hide a grin at her astonishment.

"Well," Kagome started, getting over her initial shock, " most people knock when entering another's personal chambers. What if I had been naked Miroku?" Kagome asked, standing up and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you positive that you wish for me to answer that?" Miroku asked, allowing himself to grin and his eyes to twinkle with mischief. Kagome merely sighed and turned away from him, rubbing her temples once again.

"You know, in all the time that I have known you Empress I have never known you to look so sad and troubled."

"Please don't call me Empress – whenever I hear that word it makes me realize that responsibility that I have and – I don't think that I would be able to take it." Her voice was cracked – her pain eminent. It hurt Miroku to see his best friend like this – to see her look so helpless as though she had given up life.

"Then why did you accept it? You could have said no you know." Miroku commented as he walked up to Kagome and placed a hand on her shoulder. All he was rewarded with however, was an apologetic smile and a shake of her head.

"My father's well being is more important. I couldn't risk him losing everything because I was thinking of my own happiness instead of his." Kagome stated folding her hands neatly in front of her. Miroku sighed audibly, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly.

"Perhaps, instead of putting others well being before your own, you should think about your own happiness."

"But then what kind of Empress would I make if I always thought of myself before others? I am supposed to assist in ruling the country – not to change everything for my benefit." Kagome replied looking back into her mirror.

But perhaps Miroku was right – perhaps she should have been thinking of herself, after all if she had, it was possible that she would have been happier. But she did not know if she would have been able to live with herself if she had not accepted her responsibility. But still the thought of being able to have everything change for the better –

Kagome growled irritably, walking away from Miroku and plopping down on her bed. She sighed in exasperation as she pulled her beautiful silken sheets over her body, concealing the white wedding dress that she still wore.

The sheets were cool, causing a chill to go up her spine. Miroku watched her, amusement on features as she snuggled into her bed, oblivious to the fact that her tiara had fallen off of her head and next to her on her plush feathery pillow.

"Well I suppose that I should leave her majesty to sleep should I not?" Miroku asked quietly, as though afraid he would disturb her peaceful thinking. Instead however, Kagome rolled over, and watched him, smiling brightly and motioning for him to sit down at the end of her bed.

"ActuallyLord Miroku, I was wondering – well what I mean to say is do you have any idea of why I got hit with that fruit earlier today?" Kagome asked, rubbing her offended cheek softly. Miroku merely raised an eyebrow, contemplating her question.

It was in fact true – he did know why she had gotten jeered at the presentation ceremony earlier that day, but he didn't dare tell her. After all – his father had promised to dismember him if he uttered a single word about it. In truth he thought that the entire ordeal was unjust and unfair, but he would rather keep both of his hands.

He remembered the day when he first found out about the problem. His father and Lord Higurashi had been talking to each other and he had walked in on them just before his lesson with Governess Toshikasa. They had been talking about a revolution that had taken place within the Northern Lands.

It was strange, the looks he had gotten from his father and Lord Higurashi, and they immediately told him not to speak a word of this to anyone. They had said that all would hate Lord Higurashi because it was his decision to keep the peasants in line. They had spoken of all the blood that had been spilled – all the people that had died, as if it were nothing.

And the entire time they had allowed Miroku to stay in the room. He had only been a child at the point, not knowing the entire meaning behind what was spoken within that room, but it was easy enough to understand now. And if he had known that all of the peasants whose families had been decimated would still hate Lord Higurashi then –

Why had they allowed Kagome to marry Naraku, knowing that these peasants would still hold a grudge against her family name? She was a Higurashi, and it did not matter to the peasants that she knew nothing about what had happened. All that mattered was her name, and if she were even remotely related to the Lord than she was at fault as well.

Miroku sighed, shaking his head. He did not know what kind of effect this type of information would have on Kagome, and she already had enough on her plate already. If she were to find out that her father had been the reason all of those peasants hated her – Miroku definitely did not want to be responsible for Kagome losing all respect for father.

She already had to deal with Naraku, and Miroku already knew that he wasn't the one for her. She also had to deal with the fact that an entire country hated her just for her name, even though she did not know the answer.

So Miroku, being the obedient son and the best friend that he was, merely smiled and shook his head. He could not risk Kagome losing all of the enthusiasm that she possessed, and even if it did hurt him to lie to his best friend.

"My sincerest apologies Empress, but I do not know the answer. But perhaps we can converse about this in the gardens. It is such a lovely day after all." Miroku proclaimed, holding out his hand to help Kagome up.

She smiled thankfully, reaching her hand out and allowing him to help her up. As she righted herself, Miroku worked on straightening out her sheets, in complete companionable silence. He still did not know of whether or not he should tell her or not, for he did not wish to risk her losing respect for the one thing in her life that truly did matter.

But it still did not escape his notice that perhaps it would be best for her to find out on her own. She was so naïve, so young that it would take an experience such as this to get her to wise up and realize that the world is not as wonderful as it seemed.

As Kagome finished cleaning herself up she felt something heavy and weighted was replaced atop her head. Her shoulders slumped almost at once, as recognized the not so foreign weight of responsibility that was placed upon her head. Her eyes had fluttered closed, almost as soon as it had happened.

She really hated this. She knew that every time she would start to feel normal and fit in, something like this would happen. She would be reminded of exactly what she was now, and there would be absolutely nothing to change that.

She was the Empress of the Northern Lands now, and that is all she could ever be. She would never be happy anymore, she would be forced to stand by Naraku's side at all time and help him direct a country, which was something that she had no idea of what to do.

But it was something that she would have to get used to, whether she liked it or not. But she knew that there would always be one simple thing that would make it easier on her.

Miroku. And as long as she had a friend who was so willing to listen to her problems, and wiling to let her forget about the role that she now held, it would be so much more less strain on her heart.

And so – it was not with a heavy heart that she locked arms with her companion, and allowed him to escort her out to the Gardens.

* * *

There was too much blood.

In truth he had not expected to see so much of that thick crimson liquid spill from the open wound that had been created by his silver blade – but he knew that it would be inevitable. Blood had been splattered against the beautiful white walls, the crimson standing out in the all white room.

A light breeze had entered the room, causing torn light blue cloth to flutter needlessly around room. In its essence the sight was grossly beautiful, but the small pool of sticky red blood that was forming at the offenders feet took the essence in its entirety away.

It was strange – he had never killed someone so shamelessly before. But he had to do it. Otherwise he would be risking everything he had. It was actually amusing how little his father actually believed that he knew – and he was not going to allow his father to make a fool out of him.

It was really a pity that he had to kill someone who meant so much to others, especially **her**, but it had to be done. He simply could not risk having that single document located, and her father was coming close to it. He had made sure that he had been under surveillance for some time now, and due to the fact that his impudent father had been so trusting of the elder man, and had let it slip that there was a document concerning his blood lineage.

The man's grip tightened on the silver blade, glaring at the dead man lying slumped on the floor. It was really too much hassle having to deal with something such as mediocre as this, and he had more important things to be doing in that moment. But for some reason – he couldn't bring himself to tear his gaze away from the sight before him.

_He_ had been the cause of this noble's death – and he would be the cause of _her_ pain. And it struck him as quite amusing as how this development did not irk him in the least. In fact he found it quite comforting that one less person would pollute the air that he had to breathe. But what he found even more amusing was the fact that death – blood – it was beautiful to him.

The thought of being able to kill only made his blood pump faster through his veins and his heart rate excel. If he had wanted he would be able to kill any and all who stood in his way and actually enjoy it. Life was truly grand.

To others he may have looked like a complete monster, but to him – it was beautiful, exhilarating and enchanting. No one would be able to understand that new feeling of comfort that had suddenly allowed it self to be known, and quite frankly he did not care. He was higher in rank than anyone else in the entire Lands so he could simply kill anyone who stood in his way.

He let out a cold chuckle of contemplation as he slid his sword into its sheath, rubbing his hands on front of his white robes. He ignored the fact that blood ended up smudging across the beautiful silken fabric. His breath came out in short quick puffs – as he continued to get over the strange feeling that spread its talons through his body.

His feet had started moving on their own, leading him out of the almost boring room and to his chambers. It surprised him that no one saw his bloody attire, or the fact that he had the most maniacal grin spreading its way across features. He entered his room with no problem at all, and immediately stripped off his bloody clothing.

After a few minutes of throwing his clothes into the wardrobe located in the corner of his immaculate room, he drew out some black robes, throwing them on messily. After tying his sword back to the thick leather belt that rested around his waste, he sighed wistfully and looked into a mirror.

And for some strange reason when he gazed into that mirror, he noticed that for the first time the person that looked back at him was tainted. His burgundy colored eyes staring back into empty expressionless ones. He ignored the fact that the long black hair that continually stayed plastered to his face caused him to look slightly homicidal.

It was strange, he had never really paid that much attention to what he looked like, but now he did. After blinking twice, he brought his hands closer to his face; he gazed longingly at his hands, noticing the dark red tinge that they now held to them.

Is this what they meant by blood stained hands? If he recalled correctly not once did he allow that noble's blood to come anywhere near his hands, so it was very strange that he was actually able to see blood that he had so mercilessly spilled. Perhaps this was only a way of reminding him that he had been the cause of someone's death, so now he was tainted.

At that thought he allowed a small smirk to play on his lips. The thought of even having any sort of semblance to death amused him beyond all belief. But he wouldn't care, because the sight of blood actually caused his own blood to flow faster. And his smirk grew into a full-fledged smile as he dropped his hands to his side.

The sound of the door opening caused him to turn completely around, and look into the troubled brown eyes of his father. He raised an eyebrow, taking in his father's disgruntled expression, guessing exactly what it was that had sent his father's calm façade over the edge.

"Naraku," his father said, his voice somewhat shaky, " I did not actually think that you would go through with it." Naraku raised an eyebrow, smirking at his father's surprised expression.

"Of course. I am not a coward, death does not frighten me, whether it be my own death or by my own hand, I will not back down from it." Naraku stated calmly, looking at his darkened hands. Onigumo raised an eyebrow, folding his arms across his dark green robes.

"A coward or not, it was the first time you have experienced death – I do not know what kind of impact it has had on you. And in either case you will need to talk to your wife-"

"I do not need to speak to that woman about anything. She is scum that will need to be disposed of as well." Naraku stated coldly, ignoring the strange look that he received from his father.

"I did not go through all of this trouble convincing Lord Higurashi to allow his daughter to marry into our blood lineage. If you even lay a finger on that child I swear that-"

"That you will what? It seems that you are more attracted to her than I am. Why did you not simply ask Lord Higurashi if you could wed and bed his daughter instead of having me do it?" Naraku asked, smirking at the poisonous look that was sent his way. That merely caused Naraku to chuckle.

It was obvious that his father had some sort of inane interest in the girl, and it seemed to be the only thing that he was not able to understand about the entire nuptial agreement. Naraku had expressed to his father that he had no desire to marry Kagome on numerous occasions, but Onigumo had always insisted that it was best for the country that he wed her.

Not to mention it would be good to marry the only person within the entire Northern Lands with those dark blue orbs. Shaking his head to rid himself of the thought of Kagome he looked to his father, waiting to see if he really had anything more that he would have wished to speak to him about.

"I am sure that there is a reason you disturbed me Father? If not I would prefer it if you left me to myself." All Naraku received was an undignified snort from his father.

"All I wanted to speak to you about was the fact that you needed to find your wife and let her know – let her know that her father is now dead."


	6. Chapter Six

**Through The Eyes Of An Innocent**

**Chapter Six**

* * *

Everything seemed so dark.

He didn't except everything to look like it was now, the sky completely gray – random sunrays making their way through the thick condensed rain clouds. When he had first arrived within the Northern Lands everything that he had set his eyes on were green luscious and majestic, but now it all looked so cold and desolate.

The birds had stopped singing, and crickets stopped chirping – Inuyasha found himself preferring the sun as opposed to the rain. He didn't know why he like the sun rather than the blackened sky, but he had a suspicion that it had something to with the fact that his castle was in the mountains and it was usually dark and desolate there as well.

But whatever it was, he knew that it didn't matter because he had other things he had to think about – such as what Kikyou had told Sango and him about her group. Inuyasha still could not believe what they had said. Never in his wildest dreams would he have expected them to be – of all things – rebels.

He himself thought that they were working for a lost cause, but everything Kikyou had told him, everything that was said – he couldn't believe his ears.

The Empress herself was the daughter of a man who had slaughtered hundreds for no reason. Kikyou's family had been lost within that simple revolution and all she wanted was revenge but – Inuyasha felt that it had to have been the most selfish thing he had ever heard. To take the life of another just for one's own benefit – he knew that everyone was meant to die for death was inevitable, but to simply speed up the process – he truly did not understand hate.

Life was so precious and despite the fact that many people lost their lives over a simple thing such as hate – Inuyasha sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. He really did not wish to think about all the blood that had been spilled during that revolution.

He could still picture that nasty scar that went across one of Kikyou's comrades throat – and he inwardly wondered how she even managed to stay alive. The woman herself seemed cold and isolated – her burgundy eyes dark and filled with hate. If Inuyasha could remember correctly Kikyou said that her name was Kagura –

"Inuyasha?" His golden eyes scanned the area at the sound of his name and he sighed in a sense of relief as Sango walked over to him, her boomerang positioned carefully against her back. In truth he had not expected to see her with her weapon, because Kikyou had told them what would happen if they were caught outside with them – but he guessed that Sango really did not care.

"Yeah." It was more of a statement rather than a question, and almost immediately Inuyasha plopped down on the wet dewy grass, and turned his golden eyes skyward. Sango sat down next to Inuyasha and she too looked at the sky, frowning at how dark the sky suddenly looked.

"It's so much different than home isn't it?" Sango asked, deciding to stray away from what she originally wanted to talk about. Inuyasha glanced at his friend, an eyebrow raised in question before he turned his eyes back towards the gloomy sky and sighed audibly.

"Yeah, in a sense I miss the mountains – the snow and the wind, but I could get used to this." Inuyasha spoke softly, folding his arms across his chest before letting out another sigh.

"You know, Kikyou was wondering if we could help –"

"No. I don't want to be any part of it. Besides she said that she already had someone in the castle, we'll just leave it to them. Besides you know just as well as I do that Sesshoumaru will kill us if we worry to much about _their_ cause as opposed to ours," and then almost as if seeing Sango's sympathetic look Inuyasha quickly added, " and whether or not you pity them it's none of our business. Their families were massacred and –"

"But what if it was Kohaku, Inuyasha? He's like a little brother to you right? Well think of him getting killed right before your very eyes." Sango replied calmly, although Inuyasha could sense the underlying tone of fear within her voice.

"But it wasn't Kohaku, Sango. If it was – then yes maybe I would want to help them, but it wasn't so it's none of our business."

"How do you expect us to get into the castle then Inuyasha? They already have someone working in the castle – if we agree to work with them perhaps they can get us into the castle with little or no suspicion." Sango pressed.

Inuyasha merely glanced at her skeptically, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. Did she honestly want to help Kikyou's rebels that badly? If so, then why? She had barely known them for an entire day and already she was feeling completely sympathetic. That simple thought alone perturbed Inuyasha. In all of the time that he had known the young Lady he had never expected her to be so – soft. She was usually ruthless and emotionless (except for when she was around her younger brother) and very tough on her soldiers.

But now – just because some people lost their families at a young age she pitied them and wanted to help them. He knew that it probably had something to do with the fact that her mother had died when she was only a child and her younger brother, Kohaku, was simply a baby – but she had been raised rather well.

She probably just didn't want to see them go through the same type of pain that she had to go through at such a young age – and he knew that if that would have happened to her then she would have gone completely crazy and slaughtered the perpetrator immediately.

Sighing wistfully Inuyasha shook his head. She did make some extremely valid points. Kikyou's faction did already have someone in the palace working for them – and they could enter the palace without any trouble, after all they would know every passageway, every room, and everyone's schedule. It would only be too easy.

But – it was still none of their business, and – Inuyasha sighed once more before turning to look at Sango, his gold eyes shining with an unanswered question. As soon as she looked into his eyes she could see that simple question and could not help but smile – she was victorious.

"We only have to report to them, and help get them into the castle at a certain day. They only want to know the schedule of one of the nobles – Lord Higurashi I think his name was. Anyways, I am going to go tell Kikyou that we are going to help them. " And with that, Sango stood up and raced down the small hill that they both sat on, her boomerang bobbing up and down.

Inwardly, Inuyasha wandered why her weapon hadn't been taken away from her – but that thought was cut short as the few drops of rain pelted his body, threatening to soak him completely.

* * *

They said her name was Kanna, and Inuyasha couldn't care less.

Her eyes were so blank and empty, her voice cold and intimidating, and her stance so straight and perfect – and he was forced to room with her. She did not act like she truly wished to speak with him, or that she wanted to room with him.

All she had managed to do when Kikyou informed him that he would be sharing with him was glance at him – her pale hazel almost white eyes staring through his soul. It unnerved him greatly to know that a simple girl who looked so young could send chills up his spine, but what made it even worse was the fact that she was so emotionless.

He had been told that she was Kagura's younger sister, and she had lived through those scarring moments, just as Kagura had done – but unlike her older sister she had made is out unscathed. The only thing that had changed about her was the fact that she had become less cheerful, more emotionless, and she allowed hate to fuel her emotions. Even though she had an extremely stoic exterior, Inuyasha knew that inside – she was raging.

Whether or not Kanna was happy about the fact that she made another ally – one who was skilled in combat – or not, he didn't know. Quite frankly he found himself not caring whether or not she approved of him because – it didn't matter in the long run. It wasn't like he was truly going to help them anyways. He would simply leave everything up to the other accomplice within the palace.

Cracking his knuckles he rolled out a blanket, ignoring the frigid glance that was sent his way by Kanna, and started to straighten everything out on the damp dirt floor. He inwardly wandered why they didn't have wood, or carpeting on the floor, but then again he had to remember that he was living with peasants and –

"I don't trust you." Kanna whispered, her voice low and somewhat melodic. Inuyasha merely raised an eyebrow before shrugging his shoulders and making himself comfortable on his makeshift bed.

"Kikyou normally has better judgment but – what can you expect from a carbon copy?" Kanna asked, watching Inuyasha with those lifeless hazel-white eyes. That simple statement alone was enough to get Inuyasha to turn towards the woman-child, his eyebrow raised in question.

"What do you mean carbon copy?" Inuyasha asked, sitting up slowly to look at Kanna levelly. Kanna merely shrugged before making herself comfortable on her own blanket, and looking over towards Inuyasha, her hazel eyes sparkling.

"You were accounted for at the presentation ceremony, Kikyou resembles Lady Higura – Empress Yokoshima immensely. That is the only reason why she seemed so withdrawn today. She was angry that something as filthy as that creature could even remotely resemble her or vice versa." Kanna explained calmly, ignoring the look of surprise that had found its way across Inuyasha's handsome features.

"It sounds like you hold more dislike for Kikyou than you do for Empress Yokoshima."

"That is where you are true. Ever since I saw that saddened look in her eyes at the presentation ceremony – she doesn't deserve the fate that was bestowed upon her. But now – Kikyou wants to dispose of her as well, simply because Kikyou is her carbon copy. It is quite amusing don't you think?" However, Kanna's face displayed no emotion. She simply looked blank – her voice had not risen or lowered throughout that entire explanation – it merely stayed the same.

It confused Inuyasha as to why she would feel so strongly about the entire situation when he got the impression that she seemingly did not have any emotions – or seemed to care at all about the situation, but he found himself feeling extremely wrong. If Kanna had not cared about the fate of the Empress then why was she so against Kikyou's decision?

_'She doesn't deserve the fate that was bestowed upon her.'_

'And she doesn't. I saw the pain in her eyes as she was forced to go out and be presented to the Northern Lands. She doesn't want it.'

"You look like you have reached Enlightenment." Kanna stated blandly, reaching up to push a stray lock of silvery hair out of her face. Inuyasha glanced at her, a scowl apparent on his face. He had barely known her for a day and already she was assuming to know what he was like – that thought alone infuriated him.

"Keh." Inuyasha mumbled out before crossing his arms across his chest and turning away from Kanna.

"If I were you, I would get out of this while you still can. Kikyou only thinks about her bitter feelings, and in the end we will be forced to perish."

"Then why did you join this pathetic excuse of a rebellion?" Inuyasha asked, his attention reverted back to the woman-child.

"Because – my life was supposed to be taken years ago – I am only speeding up the process." And with that Kanna blew out the single candle that illuminated the room and lay down to go to sleep, leaving a confused Inuyasha to ponder over his thoughts in the now damp cold room.

* * *

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.

Never in his entire life had he expected the correspondent to be a child. Was Kikyou really that selfish to use a child to do her dirty work? He could understand if Kikyou had sent Kanna in – after all she did not seem to care about whether or not she lost her life – but for a child who looked as young as this one did – it made him start to dislike this decision more and more.

After all couldn't the child be executed if she were found out? Inuyasha did not know about Sango, but he definitely would not be able to live with himself he were to endanger the life of a child, after all it was so completely selfish and –

Inuyasha blinked, noticing that the child had been talking to him for sometime now. In truth he did not really care what she said to him, because all he wanted to do was get in the castle, but he knew that if he did not know what she was talking about it could be a major mistake.

"I didn't catch what you said." Inuyasha mumbled, ignoring the glare that Sango sent his way from where she was polishing her boomerang. The child merely crossed her arms over her chest and huffed indignantly.

"Rin asked what your name was." The child repeated, folding and unfolding her arms once again as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Inuyasha merely scoffed before nodding in understanding and walked passed her.

"Inuyasha – now can we just leave? I have stuff that needs to be taken care of." Inuyasha stated rudely, receiving another glare from Sango. Rin simply scoffed before grabbing him by the elbow and escorting him out of the cold stone house.

As they wandered through the streets, Inuyasha saw things that he never would have imagined seeing if he were in the Southern Lands. There were people littering the streets – their skin tight on their bones, their eyes yellow, and their clothes tattered and torn.

As he and the child named Rin would pass them, he could see them eying him with disgust, almost as if they were jealous of the fact that he had been well nourished and they had not. The sight was horrifying. Rin however, seemed to simply walk passed them – as though not noticing them or caring that they were on the streets. But Inuyasha guessed that she found herself lucky – that she did not have to have such a fate bestowed upon her being. And Inuyasha knew that if it were him he would probably act the same way because – he wouldn't want to live that way either, but he would not want to have to watch people suffer like this every single day. And whether or not he had an almost arrogant air to him, he still had some compassion and he knew that it was wrong to allow people to live like that.

So why was it that they did? Did the Emperor not know of the oppression that was happening within his own Lands? And if he did, how come he did nothing about it? There could be so many ways to end the poverty that Inuyasha had seen – after all the Northern Lands were so beautiful – the soil so fertile and rich, that there could be farms all over the place, that way more people could be fed and watered and –

"It's better not to watch them. They might end up attacking you." Rin said as she led him down another street by the sleeve of his brown shirt. Inuyasha scoffed, trying his best to ignore what she had said – but was that why she acted as though she did not care about what was happening? She feared that they would attack her?

Sighing inwardly, Inuyasha decided that it would be best not to care about the feelings of others. After all it would only get in the way of his mission – and if he was already disliking the fact that there was so many oppressed people littering the streets then – he was certainly glad that he had decided to stay within the castle. He would simply leave Sango to care about what was going on within the Northern Lands, because once again – it was none of his business what happened to these people.

He was only there to find out about Djinn, and whether or not the Emperor was going to expand East because – a hard tug on his sleeve caused Inuyasha to snap out of his thoughts and look down at the child, who was beaming up at him almost happily.

"We're here Inuyasha. From here on out you are going to be my betrothed – don't look at Rin like that, I only have a couple of years before I am actually old enough to be married – and you miss me terribly when I am away. It's for non-profit purposes only. Now come, and you must hold Rin's hand." Rin replied while lacing her fingers through his and leading him into the servant's quarters of the castle.

When Inuyasha entered them, he noticed that they looked exactly like Kikyou's dwelling. The floors were made of dirt, the stone walls were covered with moss, and they were cold. Many blankets littered the floor, each with their own candle next to them. There were many rooms like that single one – each with at least 20 different blankets stretched across the cold dirt floor, some still occupied, and others wrinkled and empty.

Inuyasha did not know whether or not he would be forced to sleep in the same room with Rin or not – but he inwardly hoped that his back would not be as stiff as it was when he had slept on that thin blanket Kikyou had provided for him and Sango.

"Inuyasha, my friend Koharu is coming, so please act like you want to merry me no matter how much older you are then me." She whispered, gripping Inuyasha's hand tighter in hers. Inuyasha merely snorted indignantly, but nodded all the same.

Then the mentioned girl – Koharu – bounded up to them merrily, her brown eyes wide in awe as she took in the couple.

"Rin! Who is your friend?" Koharu asked as Rin scooted in closer to Inuyasha, hugging his arm tightly.

"He is my betrothed." Rin stated plainly, as Inuyasha eyed the newcomer with annoyance. Koharu's eyes merely widened in shock and she immediately cupped her hands over her mouth, trying to stifle the gasp of shock that she had made at Rin's words.

"But you – you are still so young, and he is – so much older. He looks to be about 17 winters!" Koharu shrieked loudly, catching the annoyed stares of some of the other servants. Rin merely waved them off before smiling brightly at Koharu, snuggling closer to Inuyasha – who could not help but think that Rin was doing a wonderful job of milking up the entire performance.

"I think that it would be best to start from the beginning Koharu – but Rin needs to have Inuyasha introduced to Governess Toshikasa so that she can decide on whether or not he is able to work here. Now let's go." Rin stated before leading Inuyasha away from an extremely dazed Koharu.

* * *

Kagome sat down on her bed, her fingers buried in the fabric of her dress.

It had already been one night since she had been married to Naraku and – it was turning out to be better than she had originally anticipated. She had not seen him since the presentation ceremony the other day, and for that she was glad.

She got to spend time with Miroku, which was something that she rarely ever got to do – and she was able to forget about her duties as Empress. She had yet to place that silver tiara on her head – and it was already mid-morning. She simply continued to sit on her bed, her blue eyes shining with mirth.

She had half expected Miroku to come and visit her again like he had promised he would, but she knew that he would be too busy womanizing to even start to pay attention to her – and even though they were best friends, she knew that he deserved to be happy too. He truly did not need to have to listen to all of her sorrows and woes – for then it would seem like they were both so attached and –

Kagome shifted on her bed, looking towards the door. She was glad that she had been able to tell everyone to simply leave her be, for she did not want to leave her room. She knew that if she did then she would be probably be dragged around the palace by her advisors and – she could already picture herself snapping at them for bothering her too much.

But if she did leave the room, it would give her time to go visit her father and talk to him about what her life would possibly hold from here on out, and she could probably get tips on how to assist in running the Northern Lands.

In fact, Kagome found herself realizing that she hadn't had time to speak to her father since her wedding ceremony. She had not seen him after the presentation ceremony, for she had gone to her room to stay by herself. Not to mention she had allowed Miroku to take up all of her time in the Gardens. In truth they had not really done anything, they simple sat in silence, and they would occasionally say a few words – and there was one time when Kagome simply started crying and Miroku comforted her – but other than that it was a companionable silence.

The even had continued to stay out there when it had started raining, and only reentered the castle when they became tired. They both had skipped dinner for the night had been emotionally tiring, and they truly did not wish to be disturbed.

Whether or not the council would find it suspicious Kagome didn't care because she was the Empress and –

She found herself caring less about the fact that she had just stressing duties to attend to as well. She supposed that the entire ordeal with Miroku had been some sort of relief for her burden, and it had been lifted from her shoulders slightly, but she still feared that the unwanted weight would be returned to her once she placed the tiara atop her head once again.

She knew that eventually she would simply have to give into the fact that she _had_ to where the tiara, but she still wasn't ready. And she doubted that she would ever be ready, but she still had to be strong – not only for herself, but for her father, and more surprisingly Miroku. She didn't realize it right away, but as soon as she did, she knew that she had to be strong for him as well because he had given her something to live for. And a true friendship was something that she could not come by easily.

"Kagome."

Kagome jumped visibly, tearing her eyes away from the tiara that she had been gazing so relentlessly at, to turn to the sound of the voice. It was apparent to the newcomer that she had not heard him enter – and she was not aware of how long he had been standing there – but he could care less.

"Naraku." She whispered quietly looking away.

She half expected him to yell at her – to smack her for missing breakfast with him, but instead he casually strolled over to her and curled his fingers around her arm and hoisted her up.

Surprised by the sudden contact, Kagome yelped and pulled away, ignoring the piercing look that was sent her way at her disobedience, but she immediately muttered an apology and bowed her head respectfully.

"Come." He stated, before grabbing her by the arm once again and all but dragging her out of the room.

Kagome knew better than to struggle against him, for he could easily turn around and slap her, which was something that she did not want to happen in the least, so she simply did her best to keep up with his long strides – doing her best to ignore the annoyed growls he sent back her way.

She did not know where he was leading her – but it was definitely away from the sleeping chambers. And as he led her down corridor after corridor, she inwardly wandered what it was that he wanted to tell her, to show her, or to do to her. He hadn't made contact with her at all after the ceremony so why would he want to talk to her now? Dismissing the fact that she was his wife, and that he despised her there truly was no reason for him to want to have an audience with her – and if he did, wouldn't he have sent someone to get her?

Almost as soon as they turned down another corridor, Kagome clapped her hands over her mouth and nose, nearly suffocating on the disgusting scent that assaulted her scent. Whether Naraku noticed her discomfort or not – he showed no signs, he merely continued to led her towards a room. And it was a room Kagome had no desire to enter because it simply reeked in there.

"We are here." Naraku stated before stopping in front of the room. Kagome grimaced, her nose wrinkled in disgust as she looked up at him, her blue eyes questioning and confused.

"He is dead."

"Who is dead?" Kagome asked, her voice muffled by her hands. Naraku merely glanced at her before motioning towards the door.

"Enter the room and you will see."

"But it stinks. I don't want to go in there." Kagome whined, her voice going up an octave although still muffled by her small hands. Naraku merely glared at her before placing a hand on the small of her back and pushing her through the newly opened door.

At first, all that Kagome was able to notice was the incredibly disgusting smell that managed to slip through the creases in her fingers, but when she allowed her eyes to focus on the only thing in the room – her hands fell to her side.

Her face was expressionless, emotionless as she took in the sight before her – the white walls covered in dried blood, the dried and cracked pool of blood on the floor – and her father resting in the middle of it, his skin yellow and his brown eyes wide with shock. The stab wound was visible through the torn cloth, and even though the wound looked like it had clotted –

The pain finally flooded into her body and she dropped to her knees, hot salty tears blinding her. It felt as though a thousand hot white knives had just been thrust into her being – it felt as though her heart had been torn from her chest and ripped in two – it felt as though she were dying in that very instant.

And everything she had done – was for nothing. All of the sacrifices that were made were now useless and – her body started to shake violently and choked sobs broke through the deafening silence. The stench of death was everywhere – and it seemed as though it were ready to consume Kagome.

She had never felt pain as immense as what she was feeling in that very moment. Where there was once love and respect towards her father, there was a huge black hole, threatening to consume all of her emotions. And she knew that this simple death – it was killing her emotionally.

Her body continued to shake violently as Naraku walked in and stood next to her. He did not show any emotion towards the sight, he merely grabbed her by the arm and hoisted her up again, and lead her out of the room.

Kagome wanted to kick, scream, and mutilate him for taking her away from her father but – she knew that it would be worth it. Her father was dead and there would be nothing that she would be able to do about it.

So she did the only thing that would even remotely make sense to her.

She tore her arm away from him – and she ran.

* * *

Inuyasha sighed in relief as he wandered down the halls aimlessly.

The interview that he had with Governess Toshikasa had been a wonderful success, and for that he was grateful. He had managed to slip away from Rin while she was busy chattering with Koharu, making up a false story about how he had known her since she was a baby, and their parents thought that they would be perfect for each other – and thus they were betrothed.

And for some strange reason the simply thought of being betrothed to the child was somewhat unnerving because – she was just so young, and supposedly innocent – but if she were innocent she would not be helping Kikyou.

Inuyasha inwardly wondered why Rin would even agree to help someone as maniacal as Kikyou but the some of Kanna's words ran though his mind once more.

_'I was supposed to die years ago – so I am simply speeding up the process.'_

Inuyasha could not help but think how intelligent that Kanna truly was. Despite the fact that she was almost child like, Inuyasha could tell that she had wisdom beyond her years. And despite the fact that her words – even though emotionless – held a bitter condescending feel to them, she wasn't half bad.

She simply kept her emotions hidden under a very thick, almost frightening barrier of ice and –

Inuyasha sucked in a sharp hiss of breath as he rounded a corner, only to smack into something, and rather hard at that. Inuyasha stumbled backwards, attempting to keep his balance as the object that he ran into fell back – a soft grunt of discomfort escaping its lips.

As Inuyasha regained his balance he looked down to the ground, ready to reprimand whoever had ran into him, but stopped short as his eyes landed on the person of his own discomfort.

He recognized her almost immediately.

Her face was streaked with tears, her face flushed, and her blue eyes filled with pain as though she had gone through a devastating loss. Inuyasha immediately bit his lip, hating the fact that someone as beautiful as her could feel so much pain.

Kneeling down next to her, he placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder. She jerked her eyes over to him – causing him to flinch as he looked into those pain filled blue-gray eyes.

A moment of silence passed between the two, as they looked into each other's eyes, surprised at the beauty of each, before she looked away and down into her lap.

"I'm sorry." She murmured quietly, pushing a stray lock of ebony hair behind her ear. Inuyasha merely huffed in annoyance before standing up and looking down at her.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. It's nothing."

"But I ran into –"

"I don't care. Now stand up, the ground is no place for an Empress." He stated gruffly, holding out a hand to help her up. Kagome merely looked at it, as though it were alien to her before accepting it gratefully, a small painful smile gracing her features.

A painful smile that Inuyasha would never be able to forget.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Through The Eyes Of An Innocent**

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

They had always said that life was always something to be cherished, valued, and placed above all other things. They had said that life should not be taken for granted - that people should accept all the bad things in life along with the good. They would tell her that if something bad were to happen she should appreciate it because it would make the good times in her life much more memorable. 

They lied.

And that alone made her feel as though someone had ripped her heart out and cut it up into tiny pieces right in front of her. She felt like shoving her knuckles into her mouth to keep from screaming. She felt as though someone had stabbed a dull dagger into her skull just to see the searing reaction of pain that was to spread through her body. She had never felt pain such as the pain that she was feeling right then and there.

A selfish way to get back to all of those people for lying to her - for telling her that things would get better before they got worse would be to let them live her life - let them know what it would feel like to experience death for the first time, or let them be condemned. But she was wiser than that, she was stronger than that, and her pride would not allow her to. Because then - she would be _wrong._

Selfishly wrong, and that was something that she would not want to experience. She would not want to have to live through life knowing that she was one who had caused so much pain to others who had cared - who had loved those whom had died. But that bitter resentment that she had felt -

_'No one cared enough for me.'_

It was something that she continually felt, that would continually spark up inside of her and not leave for a while. It was something that she would repeatedly have to suppress and deal with no matter how much she wanted to feel that way.

After all, there was no room for emotion anymore. She shouldn't have been feeling emotion because - she had died.

She had died the same day that her father died. It was a well-known fact to everyone. They could see it in her eyes, the way that she presented herself - and every single time they would see her with that emotionless, deadened look in her eyes, they would always tell her to smile - that everything would get better for her.

She didn't listen.

They continued to lie.

It would never get better, she would never be happy. Her soul had been shattered, her heart devoured, and her emotions cried away within that one single moment - the moment that she had seen his dead mangled and bloodied body - she knew that everything she had sacrificed, everything that she had done for her father was now _worthless._

She had given up her happiness for another's personal well being - and he had ended up being taken away from her - wiped from existence.

It simply wasn't fair.

But what was she truly to expect - it was life after all. Simply because her father had been murdered did not mean that she was to dwell on the past - for she had to look towards her future. A future that would be forever engraved in stone with a man - the man who had brought this pain upon her. He had been the one to show her and -

She was feeling bitter once more. Kagome could not understand it at first. It was simply a random emotion, spreading it's talons through her body as it had once done - but it was stronger noticeable than it had been when every other person in the castle had dared to bring it up.

_Things would get better._

Closing her eyes slowly, Kagome willed herself to believe that they would get better - that she could find herself being happy, living in harmony with the death of her father behind her but not forgotten. But it did not work.

It was an image that would forever remain etched into her mind with no hope of removal - her father, lifelessly slumped against a wall - dry crusted blood plastering the walls the floors, everywhere. That simple searing stab wound standing out against his normally pale skin - everything would forever remained etched in her brain and - tears spilled from her eyes simply thinking about it.

It wasn't supposed to have happened like it had but it did - and she couldn't change it. She couldn't simply turn back the hands of time and make sure that her father hadn't died, she couldn't stop her husband from taking her to go see his mangled body - she couldn't have stopped any of it.

She had never felt so helpless in her entire life.

And it made her believe that - life could not be cherished if it could be taken away so easily.

Her body shook with loud choked sobs as she pressed her white clammy hands to her face, trying her best to forget about everything that had happened to her. Her eyes had stung - burning with an intensity that even she knew not to exist - her face began to flush - her eyes grew red and puffy and she bit into her lip, trying to stifle the almost embarrassing sound, drawing blood as a result.

It was one of those times that she wished that there was a way out - out of the life that she had been so forcefully thrust into - but there wasn't. She could never escape. She could never be happy. And it was her fate to accept it.

_Accept it. _

Accept what, and why?

The hot blinding tears continued to stream down her face, even as the servant entered her chambers and told her that dinner was ready to be served.

* * *

Inuyasha's golden eyes blinked up at the darkened sky. 

His thoughts were scattered as he sat out in the Gardens, briefly letting his mind realize that he was going to end up getting soaked soon. But that was the least of his worries. At the moment he was thinking about how Kikyou would react to the news. He knew that without a doubt she would be somewhat angry at the fact that the man she had set out to kill was dead and then -

Inuyasha growled, suddenly reminding him self that he was _not_ going to help her in any way possible. After all Kanna had told him of her plans to harm the Empress, and already that thought was completely out of the question.

He actually had a chance to speak to the disgruntled Empress earlier in the week, although it had been a rather clipped and chaste conversation, it was still a conversation nonetheless. Within that conversation she had spilled out her heart to him - of what was left of it at least. She had reported to him that her father had died - that he was stabbed by some unknown offender and her husband had taken her to see his bloodied body.

That was as far as she had gotten before she broke out in tears. At first Inuyasha had half a mind to think that Rin was the one who had killed Lord Higurashi, after all she was a rebel but - he had to remember that Rin was still a child and Higurashi was a full grown adult and there was no way that she would have been able to kill him. After all she was nothing more than a simple correspondent.

But as the Empress cried Inuyasha just mumbled something before walking away, leaving her to wallop in her sorrows. He didn't care. They weren't his problems, but - that smile that she had given him, it made his heart wrench. He had never seen someone look like that before - so completely and utterly miserable and helpless, as though trapped in a never-ending hell.

He felt somewhat sorry for her, but it wasn't his life, so he had no right to meddle. After all he was simply in the Northern Lands for one thing alone - to spy. He had to figure out why the Northerners found the Djinni so enthralling that they praised them - exactly what type of powers that they held, and whether or not the Emperor was thinking of expanding East. If so then he would have to return to the Southern Lands and let his brother know.

He suddenly started growling at the thought of his brother. Of course he cared for the older demon on some sort of level - although he would never admit it, but he never liked working for him much. And even Sango had said that he was simply doing dirty work for his brother.

"Stupid wench." He grumbled, continuing to stare up that the blackening sky.

"My apologies - are you speaking to me?" A soft voice said from behind him. Inuyasha immediately bolted upright, turning to look at the woman standing behind him.

_Of all people…._

"No Empress, I was simply thinking about my idiot sister." Inuyasha grumbled, somewhat distraught at the fact that his thoughts had been interrupted. The Empress smiled warmly before sitting down next to him on the wet dewy grass.

Inuyasha wanted to simply tell her to go away, to let him mull over his thoughts in silence, but as soon as she had sat down a deadened look entered her eyes and he soon found himself realizing that - she wouldn't care. The look on her face almost made it seem like she did not care about anything anymore but - Inuyasha fought the urge to continue staring at her before glancing around the beautiful Gardens, trying to think of something to think about.

The silence that passed between the two was tense and uncomfortable, and Inuyasha felt as though he were practically suffocating in the air around them. He had wanted to say something - anything just to get her to speak so that he would feel less _inhibited._

"I'm curious," Kagome said suddenly, causing Inuyasha to whip his gaze around to hers, noticing how dimly gray her eyes looked.

_Odd._

"What?" Inuyasha asked gruffly.

"Why was it that you left me by myself to cry? Normally people would have tried to comfort me, but you just left me there. It was most unnatural." Kagome explained, never taking her eyes away from his.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, surprised at the question. He had expected something more demanding, but instead she had asked why he had not comforted her. It was strange to say the least. But Inuyasha shrugged nonchalantly, looking back towards the sky.

"If it ain't my problem I really don't give a damn." Inuyasha stated nonchalantly, ignoring the questioning gaze that she had sent his way. Of course it wasn't his problem; it wasn't his _business._ So why was she looking at him like that? Almost as though a hint of recognition was flashing behind her deadened gray hues.

"What!" He snapped irritably, finally annoyed at the fact that she continued to stare at him. Kagome merely allowed a smirk appear on her face before turning her eyes away and staring at some unknown figure in front of her.

"Your accent - it's foreign. Where are you from?" She asked quietly, doing her best to ignore the startled look that she received from Inuyasha. She knew that it was probably nosy of her but - she was the Empress, and she had every right to know. After all he looked foreign enough. His skin was beautifully tanned; he had long silver locks, and two cute furry ears atop of his head. Then his eyes - his amber eyes were absolutely enchanting.

In all truth, Kagome had never seen a man as beautiful as him - save her husband, but her husband had a cold aura that surrounded him, whereas this creature besides her - he held emotion so strong - Kagome had never witnessed it before. Each time she had allowed herself to look in his eyes she could see emotion so deep, so strong that she was amazed.

She had grown up with people with little or no emotion, it was strange to see someone else with such charisma that she used to possess.

_Charisma that I used to possess, _Kagome chuckled darkly, shaking her head slightly. Kagome was aware of the fact that she had changed but - she knew she had to; otherwise she would not make for a very good Empress. She knew that somewhere in her life she had to care for something, and the only thing that she would be able to care about would be running the nation. It was all she had time for. She couldn't let her emotions for others run her life - she couldn't be naïve any longer.

When she was younger, she wouldn't have believed it if someone told her that in order to be a lady she would have to be cold and calculating - that she would have to act _dead._ But now that she was experiencing it - the thought of having changed so drastically caused her to chuckle out loud once more.

"I don't get it," Inuyasha said suddenly, receiving a mere glance from Kagome, "why are you letting one simple death get you down? My mother died when I was child, my father died when I was onlytwelve summers old. And yet, I did not let it get me down. I kept my head up and kept on with life."

"I don't think I understand what you mean," Kagome replied listlessly, mildly surprised that he would tell her so much about himself when they had only just met days ago.

"Keh. Everyone around the castle has been acting all 'woe is me'. The guy is dead, get over it and move on with your life. It's not like you're dead, so just be glad for at least that."

"You don't understand how I feel!" Kagome snapped suddenly, allowing her anger to resurface. _The nerve of this guy!_

"You seem to be forgetting the fact that I lost my entire family when I was younger than you. The guy is dead damn it, he ain't comin' back."

"But-"

"And it's not like grieving is going to bring him back. He's dead. He _isn't_ coming back." Inuyasha snapped, turning away from the Empress.

Kagome merely moved her mouth attempting to think of something, anything to say to him for being so - _incompetent._ But she knew that he was right. Her father wasn't coming back - he was dead and he would remain dead. But - the writing - it didn't say that he was supposed to die.

"No!" Kagome yelled, tears streaming from her eyes as she jumped up, " He wasn't supposed to die! It was supposed to be me! The last line of the prophecy, it said - it said -" Kagome finally found herself unable to speak. Her voice died within her throat and she felt a surge of emotion so strong it was indefinable.

Inuyasha gazed levelly at her; his amber eyes searching for something - _anything _- that would let him know what exactly she was talking about.

"Prophecy?" Inuyasha asked, moving towards her slightly. Kagome, however, did not hear him. Her thoughts, her mind was drifting farther and farther away from her - from reality. The things that she was feeling, so much knowledge - so much _experience -_ it was so foreign and new. Kagome felt exhilarated.

Something inside of her snapped and she felt as though she were falling, farther and farther away from what seemed like her life - her soul and - something bright loomed in front of her, shining so brightly it was almost blinding. Kagome, curious as to what it was, reached a hand out to touch it - her creamy white fingers brushing against the warm calming surface of the ball of light.

It was so calming and yet so exhilarating, Kagome couldn't help but allow herself to float inside of it, allowing it to consume her entire being. A familiar feeling of being burned and yet frozen at the same time suddenly passed over her body and she could feel the energy being pulled from her body - weakening it considerably.

And then - they came. The visions - the dreams - they all came back to her, flashing through her mind quickly, reminding her of what was to come.

The life, the death, the love, the hate, the anger, the happiness, and the sorrow - it all came flooding back to her, threatening to drown her in what was to come. But then one image came back to her, stronger than ever before.

_"You - you will have to die with me." His thick deep voice reached her ears, startling her out of her reverie. Her face paled considerably and she looked up at him, fear apparent in her eyes. She did not want to die. _

_"No, please no." She whispered, ignoring how his arms tightened forcefully around her. The air around them seemed to grow thick, smoke entering her lungs as she inhaled, the scent of blood assaulting her nostrils._

_"Yes. You _have_ to die with me. It is your duty after all." His cold chilling voice washed over her body, causing trepidation to seep into every pore of her body. She shook her head vigorously; deciding that then and now would be the only time she would be able to escape him._

_She immediately jerked her body away; a hot searing sensation working it's way through her arms as she tried to fight him. Tears rolled out of her eyes as he started shouting at her, but everything seemed to turn to fuzz when it reached her ears. Her body jerked around violently, that same burning sensation soaring throughout her body, trapping her in a never-ending flame._

_And then - it stopped. Kagome blinked and glanced around her as the flames continued to grow larger - burning others around her - causing an uncomfortable heat to rise around her being. It felt like a sauna only … she wasn't being burned._

_Glancing down around her, Kagome noticed that something large and red had been draped around her being, covering the pale blue cloak that she wore. Strange, Kagome didn't remember wearing it before. _

_Suddenly two strong arms wrapped around her waist and hefted her up into the air, above the flames, above the burning bodies, and above all the death and hate. She could feel a comfortable calm floating over her being, warming her body as she soared above all of the destruction towards something unknown._

_But as soon as the feeling of calm entered her body, she was dropped to the ground unceremoniously and the large red cloak that had covered her disappeared, causing a wave of cold to wash over her body. Sitting up quickly, Kagome brushed herself up and looked towards her savior, ready to offer him a steady thanks but -_

_She was pulled into a bone-crushing hug. And then -_

Kagome was suddenly snapped from her reverie as a firm hand landed on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. Kagome's eyes whipped around to face the man next to her - the vision quickly fading from her mind.

"You feelin' all right?" Inuyasha asked, placing a hand against her forehead. Kagome blinked, surprised at his casual demeanor before pulling away slowly and fixing him with a calculating stare.

"You know, if my husband saw you he would kill you." Kagome replied, a small trace of a smile forming on her lips. Inuyasha merely shrugged before sitting down on the soft grass and motioning for Kagome to sit as well. Kagome did so obediently, smoothing out her dress as she sat down and stared at the stone palace walls.

"Let him try, I could probably fight better than him anyways." Inuyasha stated, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly. Kagome glanced at him, her blue eyes dancing with amusement.

"Who said anything about fighting? I meant that he would have you executed. Technically, no other man is supposed to touch what rightfully belongs to him. You know, I would be committing adultery and all of that fun stuff." Kagome replied blithely, grinning at the eyebrow that Inuyasha raised.

"Adultery from touching your forehead?"

"Don't sound so shocked. The laws here - well they are stricter than need be and you would have known that if you weren't a foreigner. So, do you mind telling me what region you are from?" Kagome asked, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement. Inuyasha, however, merely watched her skeptically, as though afraid to tell her. After all, she was the Empress and she would be among the first to know that the South and the North were walking on eggshells with one another.

The need to expand was growing quickly, as each region became more populated and - Inuyasha could not risk telling her that he was from the South. But if he did not tell her there was still the slightest chance that she would punish him for being disobedient, and he was absolutely sure that his case would be brought in front of the Emperor. And if his accusations were correct the Emperor would know that he was a prince of the Southern Lands and -

"Are you all right? You look rather pale." Kagome said suddenly, leaning towards Inuyasha to get a better look at his face. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he scooted away from the overtly curious Empress, his thoughts straying on what his reasons for being in the castle were.

He needed to get information, and to assist in killing the Empress and her father. But - Lord Higurashi was already dead, which meant that the brunt of their rebellion would be taken out on the Empress.

Inuyasha couldn't not help but chuckle darkly.

He was befriending not only an enemy, but also someone whom he was supposed to spy on and kill. It was simply too ironic and - he did not know if he would be able to do it. Perhaps Rin would be able to do it - but she was still just a child, and if she were found out as well she would be tried for treason. And yet, Rin was still a child.

"Hey."

Inuyasha blinked, snapping his attention back towards the Empress who was watching him with an odd expression. Inuyasha coughed, embarrassed that he had allowed himself to get caught up in his thoughts and turned away from her, fixing his attention on a random shrub.

"You know, you still haven't answered my question." Kagome said quietly, ignoring the fact that the servant would not look at her.

"It doesn't matter where I am from all right." Inuyasha snapped, folding his arms over his chest. Kagome's eyes darkened suddenly as she turned away from him and gazed up at the gloomy blue sky. A tense moment of silence passed between the two, as they both remained trapped within their thoughts, trying their best not to be the one to break the silence.

"You know-"

"I'm not telling you where I am from!" Inuyasha ground out, turning towards Kagome to give her a level glare only to find that she was glaring right back at him.

"You know, you shouldn't speak like that lest someone hears you. "

"Like I said before, I can fight just fine."

"It's not about the fighting." Kagome mumbled, burying her head in her hands. Inuyasha merely shook his head before standing up and brushing off his pants.

"It is about the fighting when you are stuck in a world filled with hate, war, and destruction. Now, if you'll excuse me I have work to do." Inuyasha stated, a bitter sound filling his voice. Kagome blinked, gazing at him with an elated expression before standing up and following him back towards the castle.

"You know," Kagome started, ignoring the annoyed expression that Inuyasha sent her way, " you never did tell me you name."

"That's because you never asked."

"I shouldn't have to." Kagome remarked steadily, grinning victoriously as Inuyasha stopped walking and turned to face her. His amber eyes were relaying his annoyance as he gazed at her, his lips turned down into a scowl.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" He inquired through clenched teeth causing Kagome's grin to widen.

"In case you haven't noticed foreigner, I am the Empress, I should not and do not have to ask for anything. But, I will anyways. Would it be at all possible if you could give me your name?" Kagome curtsied respectfully, smiling kindly at the man in front of her. Inuyasha merely huffed before looking towards the castle doors and back at her.

"My name is Inuyasha, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance your highness." Inuyasha said quietly, bowing in respect. Kagome smiled brightly, clapping her hands together as her eyes twinkled in joviality.

"My name is Kagome, however you must address me by Empress Yokoshima or Lady Yokoshima. But truth be told, I would prefer Lady Higurashi." Inuyasha nodded, looking around himself distractedly before turning to face the Empress.

"Well your Grace, I must –"

"Kagome." The cold calculating voice that suddenly spoke caused Kagome to stiffen, a chill running up her spine. She turned slightly, her face schooled into a stoic expression. Inuyasha blinked, turning towards the speaker of the voice as well, as his eyebrow rose with question.

He was greeted with nothing more than a glare.

Naraku stood before them, his blood red robes tied loosely around his frame, his long ebony black wavy cascading over his shoulders, and his arms crossed firmly over his chest as he watched the two with a look of distaste upon his face. He allowed his eyes to travel over Inuyasha's slightly smaller frame before snorting in distaste and turning towards his wife.

"I expected better of you," he replied calmly, fixing his cold burgundy eyes on Kagome's livelier blue ones. Kagome blinked, confused at what he was talking about before a malicious smirk threatened to spread across her husbands face.

"I expect you to be in my sight at all time," he said as though reading her mind, "and not flirting with other men."

"I wasn't flirting!" Kagome yelped indignantly, forgetting that Inuyasha was still standing with her.

"And with a servant no less. This calls for punishment." Naraku's eyes darkened considerably before he strode over to Kagome and gripped her arm tightly. Kagome winced, her eyes closing tightly before she looked up at her husband her eyes flashing with anger.

"Let – me – go." Naraku merely smirked before yanking her away from Inuyasha, his grip bruising.

"I will not have my wife committing adultery with other men, let alone a servant. You will be in by my side at all times and you will only leave when you have my permission. Do I make myself clear?" He asked, not noticing the pleading look that Kagome sent over her shoulder to Inuyasha.

But Inuyasha couldn't do anything. He was nothing more than a servant and if he did try something he would be executed, and that was something that he didn't need to risk. After all, he couldn't allow himself to be killed and leave Sango all by herself. She wouldn't be able to get into the castle and it would be suspicious if Rin brought someone else within the castle looking for a job. So Inuyasha bowed respectfully before turning and leaving to the servant's quarters, leaving Kagome to face the wrath of her husband.

After all, there was nothing he could do, even if he wanted to.

They were _married_.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Through The Eyes Of An Innocent**

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

Everything she held dear was on the line. 

She was risking everything, and everybody, but it wouldn't matter in the end. In the end nothing mattered. Her heart yearned and starved for revenge - for something - in return for what she had so unwillingly lost years ago. Even though she was naught but a child, the effects were still traumatizing. This obsession, her obsession to watch his blood drip from her hands had grown so much over the years…

Despite how calm and emotionless she attempted to make herself look, deep down she screaming, her eyes glazing over with an almost maniacal look. She would take lives without thinking, allowing homicidal incoherent thoughts to run through her mind. It had happened once; the same slow painful torture edging it's way into her brain, clouding her senses until she snapped.

That was why Kagura was mute.

She had allowed herself to go too far.

She had allowed her own painful childhood memories to get the best of her - the pain of loss, sorrow, and hate. Kagura's eyes were so painstakingly similar to those haunting blood red eyes that she had witnessed killing her parents. And even now, she could still hear their pleas of mercy…

But no matter how many times she attempted to block out the images, the urge to kill continued to grow larger and more infectious as it spread through her body, cutting off any common sense that she had left. And each time she went crazy, someone got hurt. There were times when she would think that she was simply planning this rebellion in hopes of being killed, of being free of the curse that she had lived with through so many years. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it was completely and utterly false.

It was something she had grown to do - to lose control - something that she should have been used to. But now, she had to make absolute certainty that she wouldn't lose control this time. Not with someone skilled enough to lead them through the rebellion in hopes of keeping their lives at the same time. Somehow she simply knew - knew that if she could destroy the man who caused her vicious recurring nightmares, the pain would go away.

But no one else believed her, and she didn't expect them to. They all believed that her mental state was beyond repair that she would be forever stuck reliving those horrid events, but she knew. She knew with absolute certainty that her nightmares would go away. It was all she wanted, all that she craved.

She wouldn't lose control.

Not again, not after what happened.

She didn't want to be called crazy, to be shunned by everyone because she possessed many painful memories. She couldn't stand their cold calculating stares, the way they whispered when she passed by, and the way that no one sought her company. Even the companions that she had acquired before this obsession weaseled its way into her avoided her until they were comfortable to be in her presence once more. The pain that she felt when she was alone, it simply bombarded her, causing a whirl of emotion to pass through her that was so strong, she would simply start to shake and tears would roll down her face non-stop.

Simply being alone was over-whelming.

The sound of wooden bowls sliding across the table broke her out of her somber state, and she turned her brown eyes towards the newcomer, surprised to see that it was Sango sitting down across from her, sliding her a small bowl of water.

"It's fresh," she said pleasantly, motioning towards the open window, "in my country, it is natural to drink from the rain. They say that is a gift from the heavens and it should be cherished."

"Southern tradition? I've heard of it. Northerner's think that it is barbaric. Humans use wells for a reason." The brown-eyed woman said simply. Sango smiled kindly, ignoring the bitterness rising in her comrade's voice.

"That is true. But you should also know that the rulers of the Southern Lands are of demon ancestry. So naturally, they would be barbaric." Sango replied looking back towards the window, ignoring the withering look that Kikyou sent her way.

"I still find it appalling. Regardless of whether or not they are of demonic ancestry, drinking from the rain - it isn't as pure as you people think it is."

Sango raised an eyebrow confused at what Kikyou had meant before shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly and turning to look out the window. She sipped her bowl of water slowly, smiling as the cool refreshing liquid slid down her throat, before turning back towards Kikyou and setting her bowl down.

"When should I start training the others?"

"Do not train Kanna. I would say that you could train Kagura, and Yura. Do not train my younger brother. Then you can train me. We have one month. During that month Inuyasha will hopefully be memorizing the layout of the castle and Rin will be notifying us of when a good night to attack is. You do not have to attend if you don't want to-"

"I do. I have to get into the castle for my own personal reasons anyways," Sango stated, cutting Kikyou off and receiving a glare from the elder woman. However Sango ignored it in place of gazing out the window and taking a fresh drink from her water bowl. She noticed that Kikyou had yet to touch hers.

"Lady Kikyou?" Sango asked, addressing the elder woman politely for the first time since she had arrived in the Northern Lands. A brief swelling sensation rose in the older woman's chest, and she had to try hard as to not smirk in a cocky sort of satisfaction before she nodded, acknowledging that she had heard the younger woman.

"I don't mean to intrude on any of your personal business-"

"Speak." It was a soft command, nothing more than a mere whisper as it passed Kikyou's lips, and Sango had to lean forward just a bit to hear the elder woman.

"When Inuyasha was rooming with Kanna, I heard her say some perverse things."

"I'm aware. Kanna doesn't agree with my philosophies. She sees what we are doing as an easy way to death. And if she wishes to throw her life away so haphazardly then so be it. I will not pity her decision, I will openly accept it." Kikyou's voice had grown cold, calculating as she spoke, her russet eyes glistening with an unexpected hatred. It surprised Sango immensely, to see the extreme dislike spread across her features for Kikyou was normally so emotionless and stoic. The hatred that she had felt for one of her own comrades was most unexpected.

"Do not worry yourself over my petty feelings for the child. She had always held an extreme dislike for me after what happened with Kagura, it is to be expected."

"Kagura is her sister right?"

"Her younger sibling," Kikyou confirmed impassively.

"What happened to her?"

"I believe," Kikyou started, noticing for the first time that she had said too much, "that this business is my own. What happened is between Kagura, Kanna, and I, and it shall remain that way."

Kikyou could feel it. That unwanted anger festering within her, churning so quickly that it was ready to explode. She had not expected the simple memory to bring forth such unwanted emotions, ones that would soon take their toll on her and make her lose control, but it could not be helped. She hadn't noticed how deep she was beginning to delve within her personal life - those haunting experiences - because her comrade had been so casual about everything. She would not let it happen again. But the hatred had already risen again, and Kikyou felt it slowly spilling over, drowning her in its presence.

Those crimson eyes continued to haunt her.

"Leave," she breathed, doing her best to ignore the sympathetic look that Sango sent her way. At first Sango made to protest, but Kikyou gave her a smoldering glare, and Sango left immediately.

And Kikyou tried to keep her anger in check. She would not allow the floodgates of anger to open within her, she would not harm her friends with the look of maniacal glee upon her face; she just wouldn't. She had too much at risk and if she did allow it to happen then she would lose everything that she had strived so hard to attain. And as Kikyou took deep calming breaths, she knew that if things kept up like they were, then she would not be able to control her anger much longer.

But she was determined, and she would not lose another ally again.

She just couldn't.

* * *

There was no sun. 

Nothing except the thick gray rain clouds consumed the naturally blue sky, rain ominously pelting the ground with thick large water drops. At first she thought that it was most unnatural, seeing no sun, but then she knew why. Winter was approaching quickly, and soon a chilling cold would make its way to the Northern Lands, and she would be even more confined then she already was. A thick layer of frost would cover the luscious green gardens, giving it a surreal mystical, and enchanting look.

It was something that Kagome looked forward to during all the different seasons. The snow, somehow, always managed to reflect her feelings. There were times when it would appear beautiful, intangible, and frigid, but those were all feelings that Kagome would feel at one time or another.

And as some trees turned from green to red, Kagome could not help but feel frigid, empty. The events from the other day continued to play over and over in her head, causing the pit of her being to completely deflate. The way her husband had so unmercifully punished her - she could still feel that same aching pain rocketing through her side as she made to turn over.

She blinked in mild surprise, recognizing the long elegant hair of her husband as he gazed listlessly out the window, fully clothed in dark blue robes with his newly acquired sword attached to his hip. The bitterness that rose within her at seeing him standing in her room - her own personal sanctuary - upset her greatly. She could still remember the piercing gaze that he had given her as he changed into his sleeping robes and climbed into the space next to her, intent on keeping his eyes on her at all times. She inwardly wondered if he had slept at all.

And then, as if sensing the bitterness that she continually housed within her being, he turned and faced her, his crimson eyes sharp and unforgiving. And Kagome knew what was bothering him. He was upset with her. But she found that it didn't matter anymore; he was always mad or distraught with her, and it would be something that she would simply have to get used to as time progressed.

"Are you aware of the hour?" He asked, his voice cold, distant, and harsh.

"I'm afraid I'm not," she replied steadily, not wanting a repeat of what happened the other day.

"Get dressed, we are already late for the meeting with the royal council and our advisors. I will send your chambermaid to fetch you in ten minutes," Naraku replied slowly, as though she were too ignorant to comprehend what he had stated. Kagome however, ignored it in place of throwing her sheets off of her and traveling towards her wardrobe.

"I wasn't aware of the fact that we had a council meeting today. No one told me."

"People should not have to tell you," Naraku started, stopping at the door to turn back towards his wife, "as Empress you should already be aware of the fact that you have meetings. But then again," Kagome froze, hearing the disgusted sneer in his voice, "if you weren't too busy flirting and actually acting as Empress it wouldn't be a problem."

"How many times-"

"Be silent," Naraku said dismissively, before walking out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

Kagome fumed.

She threw her sleeping robes off of her roughly, before snatching another garment from out of her wardrobe and quickly throwing it on. She then walked over to the bureau next to her bed and messily placed her tiara atop her head, not bothering to put her hair up in a sophisticated bun - she was simply too angry.

She had the distinct feeling that her husband wanted her to be angry, to be an emotional wreck, but at the moment she simply didn't care. She had barely been married to him for a fortnight, and already he was being crude. But Kagome knew she shouldn't have expected any less of him, ever since he found out that they were to be wed he had acted as though she were nothing more than scum. She knew that she should have been used to getting the cold shoulder…

Kagome froze halfway across the room and blinked at the door, almost as though she could see Naraku standing on the other side, waiting for her impatiently. She hadn't noticed it before, mainly because she hadn't been paying much attention, but now that she had noticed it - she was completely and utterly stunned. At first she had thought he was behaving the way that he had the other day because he was simply being cynical. But after thinking deeply about it, she realized that he wasn't being cynical, but suspicious.

He was _jealous._

She had in fact been spending more time with her friends than she had been spending with him, and she was his wife…

Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin when the door banged open, and a young girl trotted into the room. She bowed lowly, keeping her eyes trained on the floor, but when Kagome finally acknowledged her and told her to stand she did so obediently, smiling brightly.

"Oh hello Rin! How are you doing today?" Kagome asked, mildly surprised. She had nearly forgotten about the child.

"Rin is doing wonderfully Lady Yokoshima, how are you?"

Kagome snorted indignantly, waving a hand dismissively, and Rin giggled loudly.

"Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that your husband slept with you last night? Was he not up to par?"

Kagome choked loudly, her face flushing furiously.

"Rin!" She exclaimed, burying her head into her hands. Rin stifled a giggle, bowing in mock sincerity at her master's distress. Had she known that the Empress was uncomfortable with the topic she would not have brought it up but - it was still quite humorous to see her mistress embarrassed by the fact of having a passionate night with her husband.

"Aren't you a little young to be speaking of such things?" Kagome asked incredulously as soon as she got over her embarrassment. Rin shrugged nonchalantly, before scampering around her mistress and tidying up her clothing and hair.

"Rin knows that she is going to have to come to that crossroad once in her life. It is something that all women should prepare for at one time in their lives. I am only 12 spring times old. I will soon be 13, and that is when I shall be married."

"You have a fiancée?" Kagome asked as Rin placed her hair into a messy yet elegant bun.

"Of course. I have been betrothed since a child. Even servants follow that tradition," She explained excitedly.

"I see. What's he like?"

Rin hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. She didn't exactly know what her 'fiancée' was like. She had only accompanied him to the castle and to Governess Toshikasa quarters and within that time they had only exchanged a few pleasantries. But perhaps - they were working for the same cause and - Rin felt a guilty knot form in the pit of her stomach as she thought about Kikyou's plans to destroy Kagome. It was devastating and almost sickening to know that she could be idly chatting away with her even though she was assisting with her death. She knew that the guilt would remain with her forever.

"Rin?" Kagome asked gently, noticing that Rin had fallen deathly quiet. She turned, attempting to catch a glance of the girl who was tightening her belt, but Rin was staring at the ground solemnly, as though someone had taken something so dear away from her.

"You are finished. I am sure that your husband is waiting for you outside the room, have a pleasant day." Rin stated impassively, trying her best to keep the guilt out of her voice. Kagome nodded slowly, perplexed at the drastic change in Rin's mood, but then felt extreme pity for her. She could not help but think that Rin was also in an unwanted relationship. Perhaps her fiancée was just as rude an unappreciative as her own husband but -

Rin was quickly ushering her out of the room, ignoring the protests that Kagome made.

"Go, I do not wish to be in trouble, lest of all by your husband." And with that Rin pushed her gently out the door, closing it roughly behind her.

Kagome rubbed her temples furiously attempting to banish an oncoming headache. It had only made itself known moments ago when one of the royal council members continued to drone on about tariffs, which was something Kagome knew nothing about, and then proceeded to think of what would be for luncheon.

Naraku had told Kagome that halfway through the meeting a servant would enter and serve them each some salted meat and cheeses, accompanied by some water, just to hold them over until dinner time and then they would proceed onto the more important aspects of the congregation. He had also told her to remain completely silent and if asked to give her opinion that she was to consult him first, but the council had yet to ask her anything. For that Kagome was relieved, but then when the signs of complete and utter boredom began to nestle within her mind she couldn't help but want to be asked something. But she knew that the males wouldn't ask her a single thing, so she made to amuse herself.

She would take to doodling on parchment, sending silent messages to her friend, Miroku, who was also attending the meeting, and she would even fold and crinkle paper loudly, smiling sheepishly when she felt everyone's eyes on her. But she didn't exactly care. The council meeting was absolutely mind numbing.

Naraku had pinched her skin from underneath the table once or twice, giving her a disapproving glare, but Kagome ignored it, and continually found things to amuse herself with. She even drew a picture of her husband wearing a crown of daisies (which he had seen and glared at her ominously, alerting her of the fact that they would _talk_ afterwards) and then she had allowed her mind to wander.

She thought of everything that had happened over the past week, the talks with her father, with Miroku, with her husband, and with Inuyasha. She had thought about the fact that her husband had struck her numerous times in the ribs because he assumed that she was flirting with other men. She even thought about how jealous he had acted when he came to retrieve her the other day. She knew that it was something she would have to ask him about. But then, a thought struck her that she hadn't taken notice to for quite some time.

The prophecy.

She felt an unwanted knot begin to twist in her stomach as she thought about the words she had written, the visions she had seen - the terrible things that were to come. But what would happen if the royal council made to address the Emperor and Empress about the prophecy - to see if they had any clue what it meant?

Kagome could already remember how her throat had suddenly constricted when she had attempted to tell Miroku about it, would that happen again? Would she even be able to answer the questions they would inquire if she did say that she knew what it meant? Would she even be able to know what it meant?

But... she did know what it meant. She knew every concept, every sound and - for some strange reason it hurt. It hurt her so deeply inside that, the feeling of sorrow had suddenly grown so large - so immense - that she felt the unwanted tears pricking at the back of her eyes, teasing and taunting her to release them. But she wouldn't. No one saw her cry - she wouldn't let them. Not after the death of her father.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she gazed down into her lap, wondering and wishing that things didn't have to turn out like they did but - they simply _had_ to. It was written and spelled out just like the Djinn had prophesized - just like she had prophesized - and there would be nothing she could do to change it.

She somehow felt inferior.

And she shouldn't have. As long as the sparkling silver tiara rested upon her head, she was never inferior and she was always on top. She was always _Empress_. But along with being the Empress came that same stress of everyday life, of making decisions and weighing choices - it was something that Kagome wasn't experienced in. And that was probably why her husband didn't want her to say anything, because she wasn't able to make choices because -

She truly was inferior.

A dark chuckle threatened to spill from her throat as those thoughts ran through her mind, bombarding her senses with unwanted emotions. She couldn't allow herself to feel that way - it would be like poison to her mind. Her father wouldn't have wanted her to be like that either - inferior - because although he had made her feel like a lesser being, he had always been reminding her how strong she was - how holy. She had to hold onto his words.

She would cherish them forever.

She could still feel those same tears pricking behind her eyes.

"Ka-go-me, pay attention," a cool voice whispered in her ear as his warm flesh hovered over her knee, ready to pinch her once more.

Kagome turned, looking at him curiously, a strained smile upon her lips. "Yes?"

"You have no been listening to the nobles, nor did you eat your food. General Kaigaishii's son was worried, as was I."

Kagome suppressed the urge to snort.

"My sincerest apologies, its just, I have a lot on my mind with the death of my father, and then all of our own problems on top of it. It's a bit overwhelming."

"Indeed. Needless to say one of the nobles is headed towards the Spiritual Room of the Djinn. He is bringing back the prophecy for us to analyze once again. You will not say anything but merely listen - am I clear?" Naraku asked in a hushed whisper, ignoring the curious looks that the rest of the nobles sent his way as they gazed over different maps of the lands.

"Crystal, but -"

"No buts Kagome. You wouldn't want a replay of yesterday would you? After all, it would be no loss to me to have your beautiful blood dripping from my hands."

Kagome's body froze at that statement, and she looked at her husband with wide, mistrusting eyes. When did he begin to hate her so completely? When did he start to believe that she needed to die and was no longer necessary within this world? Earlier, she simply would have thought that it was his way of coping – his way of dealing with a marriage that he didn't want, but now – now she wasn't so sure. She had never seen anyone act as violently as he did and – it frightened her. She was sure of whether or not she had been as frightened in her life, but she knew that soon, she wouldn't be able to take his anger any longer.

A tight knot formed in her chest, and Naraku pinched her skin roughly once more.

She was already afraid.

And, by simply looking at her husband, he could tell that he was already annoyed, and that she _would_ be facing some sort of punishment given the chance. Her body chilled at that simple thought.

Just the thought of his fist pounding into her already bruised ribs – kicking, hitting, punching – with that same sadistic smile on his face was enough to send her into a panic. She didn't want that – she never did.

"Empress Yokoshima?"

Kagome blinked, suddenly jarred from her horrendous thoughts as a noble addressed her, holding out a thin piece of parchment.

"Yes?"

"Well," the young man hesitated, and Kagome smiled warmly at him before nodding, " well you see, it is customary for a holy person to read the prophecies."

"Well why don't you ask my husband to read it, he is holy as well, after all," Kagome replied kindly, tilting her head to the side.

"P-p-please understand Empress, he is holy, that I do not disagree but – not as holy as you. You have blue eyes, which is something that no one in this country has. And because you have a direct trait of the Djinn you are considered more holy than the Emperor himself," he paused for a moment, noticing the pointed glare that Naraku gave him, " and I mean no disrespect, forgive me."

"You are forgiven," Kagome said simply, extracting the parchment from the noble's hands and staring down at the beautifully written calligraphy.

It was strange, staring at words that she knew the meaning of – that she had written not to long ago. It was strange, knowing that she could be of no help to her nation in finding out what the words meant – it was just – odd. There was truly no other word that she could find for it as the words flooded back to her – the visions, their meanings, and the outcome. It was strange, knowing that she was the only one who truly knew what was going to happen in the future.

The most definite future, and that there would be no way to change was going to happen.

Her body was burning, and yet it felt like ice.

Kagome read the fated words aloud.

"Enter the sacred union, where dark and purity collide. Then that which is tainted by a crimson sunset shall be cleansed by that which has lost no purity within a soul, bringing forth a treasure where purity over powers the dirty filth inside. But when darkness seeks destruction of the two dark orbs of blue, the scarlet skies will waver, and the purity shall create a dam, cleansing the darkness of its tainted soul, and the orbs of the innocent shall exist no more"

Her body felt like ice, and the warmth dissipated.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Through the Eyes of an Innocent**

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

Miroku closed the kitchen door behind him, smiling in contentment as he bit into an apple. 

It had taken him much cajoling and sweet talking in order to get the kitchen maid to allow him the single apple, that was, in fact supposed to go to the Emperor's main quarters, and he was feeling rather pleased with himself. The kitchen maid herself was not that attractive, and it had almost pained him to have to succumb to flirting with older woman just get a bite to eat, but after his grueling lessons with his father, he felt as though he was entitled. He had realized that he was spending more and more time training to become a better soldier – more time involved in his studies – rather than roaming around the castle and being a nuisance with his friends. Although he knew that it was expected of him, he couldn't help but notice that the thought bothered him.

He was officially becoming a man, growing into his title as a nobleman – perhaps a soldier, a General if his skills preceded him – but he simply could not help but hate the fact that he was missing out on the recreational aspects of being a young man. He had little time to himself, was forced to train and go to his studies for the majority of the day and – castle life was becoming more hectic and unbearable. He couldn't help but smirk ruefully, knowing the exact reason for the unwanted transformations.

Everyone knew the reason.

It was sad now that he thought about it; everyone of a wealthy status was being watched extremely carefully, allowed little time to them self.

Miroku hated it.

He wanted to be able to blame him for the changes within the castle – to run to his grave and tarnish it but… he knew it would be completely useless. He was already dead, he had passed away at a rather difficult time and –

_Murdered_, Miroku amended while picking at the skin of his apple, _he was murdered_.

And for once, he didn't understand why. He knew of no one currently residing within the citadel that possessed malicious feelings towards the late Higurashi – the nobleman had done nothing out of the ordinary – he had continued his duties, serving faithfully under the Emperor, and had even allowed the former Emperor's son to marry his daughter – whom was considered holy by all costs. Whoever had killed Lord Higurashi must have been harboring some malevolent feelings towards him for a while, especially since his death had been so brutal. Six different stab wounds…. Miroku shivered involuntarily.

He was worried. Worried about his friend – the Empress. He had remembered seeing the look in her eyes after his death – the way they seemed so dull and lifeless – a bland gray instead of the beautiful crystal blue that he had always remembered them. It had pained him greatly to see her so disheartened, almost as though she had lost the will to live. She had cried once – only once – and then she had continued as though nothing had taken place. But he knew the pain she was feeling, the hurt and the sorrow, and it only served to make his heart ache for her.

He knew that it was how life worked; people live and they die, there is no other way around it. But to see someone look so completely defeated as though their entire world had caved in on them – that was something that he had never experienced before. He knew why people would want her father dead – why peasants would want to see his blood staining their hands, but as far as he knew no one within the castle would want to bring pain into his life – into Kagome's life. The simple thought that anyone could have done that was beyond him.

Squeezing his apple tightly in his hand, he frowned at one of the servants, completely ignoring the slight blush that spread across her cheeks at seeing the handsome nobleman. Normally he would have taken the time to give a comment to the young servant, she did in fact possess a certain beauty and her eyes were a gorgeous green, however he was distracted and his thoughts rather jumbled.

Lord Higurashi was dead.

And it was tradition for the people of the Northern Lands to acknowledge the death of the wealthy, regardless of whether they were noble or not. Those who were wealthy were of more value to the Emperor – to the people. Miroku's brows furrowed and he stopped walking, his thoughts no longer a jumbled mess.

They hadn't honored him.

It hadn't been announced to the people – to those who dwelled within the Western Territory of the Northern Lands where Lord Higurashi governed. His death had been completely dismissed, as though it didn't matter. And although it had been a fortnight since the death of Lord Higurashi, Miroku still found it odd that his death had not been honored – that his _memory_ had not been honored. Miroku knew that Lord Higurashi was a good man; he knew that he had made some mistakes within his lifetime – he hadn't made his atonement for past sins, for past deaths – that sometimes his priorities were somewhat jumbled, but that still did not make the late Higurashi any less of a man.

And every man had the right to be honored.

Inwardly, Miroku wondered whether or not Kagome had requested to make an official announcement of his death. He was well aware of the fact that those within the castle knew about his untimely death, but anyone who worked within the castle were put through a vow of secrecy lest they wished to die. And due to this simple fact, Miroku knew for certain that Lord Higurashi's death had not been announced. For, if that had been the case, then the entire Western Territory of the Northern Lands would have been in a state of panic.

Licking his lips, Miroku fingered his half-eaten apple, staring down the empty hall.

He knew that if he asked Kagome to make a public announcement, then it would seem as though she were completely banishing her father's memory but – it was the right thing to do. Lord Higurashi had been a valiant man – had fought in many battles to defend his home, and was of noble lineage. He had done nothing but serve his country with the utmost prestige and had done nothing that would bring shame upon his country without thoroughly thinking things through. He deserved it – his memory deserved to be honored.

Steeling his resolve, Miroku glanced out the window, taking note of the sun's position before darting off down the hall, the apple in his hand falling to the floor with a _thud._

* * *

Kagome inclined her head in acknowledgement; ignoring the sharp look that Kaede gave her for being so informal. 

But Kagome couldn't care less.

She was tired, her body ached, and her mind was nothing but a jumble of thoughts – each one more preposterous than the last. The duties of being an Empress had only begun to catch up to her, drowning her in unwanted work – forcing her into making decisions on subjects that she knew nothing about. Her time for education was slowly dwindling into nothing, and she was beginning to find herself becoming more and more involved with her advisors, listening in on political meetings – things she could have done without.

She couldn't even remember the last time she had enjoyed the peace and solitude of her own private chambers and –

Kagome immediately clamped down on that thought, a line forming between her brows as a frown marred her usual delicate features. Her husband had become more persistent too – sharing the same bed with her – watching over her in every single instant – the only true time she was allowed away from him was either when she was bathing, changing, or when it came time for her daily lessons. And despite the fact that she wasn't truly alone, Kagome couldn't help but enjoy the tiny bit of privacy she received whenever she was busy with her sums or literature. She didn't have to feel his eyes on her, watching her every move – as though he were trying to look into her very soul.

It was true – the more she was around him, the less angry he was with her – the less _suspicious_ he was of her and yet it bothered her. He had become so much more possessive over her since the death of her father – since the time he had found her immersed in conversation with Inuyasha. And she didn't understand – she didn't understand why he felt so much animosity towards her, so much anger for talking to a simple _servant_.

She was well aware of the fact that a relationship between a servant and a noble was forbidden, unless of course, the Emperor himself approved the coupling. But there was simply no reason for Kagome to go wandering around the castle, flirting with random servants, regardless of how handsome they were. She had made a promise that she would care for her husband, and her husband only, and there was no reason for her to go back on that promise despite her feelings of resentment towards the harsh man.

Sighing loudly, Kagome rounded a corner, her hands folded neatly in front of her.

And there was also the prophecy that she had to think about. She was still unsure of how to talk to people about it – for whenever asked her throat would constrict, disabling her ability to speak. She didn't fully understand _why_ that had happened; all she knew was that she did.

_Perhaps_, Kagome thought a little pensively,_ it has something to do with the fact that I prophesized it as well?_

Kagome stood still, pondering this simple fact, unsure of whether or not it was true. It did make sense – she had to at least admit that to herself – for whenever the Djinn prophesized something; they weren't even able to open their mouths. They just merely stared at the servants – the nobles – their strange blue eyes glimmering softly, their longs blonde hair cascading over their shoulders. And then, they would smile that strange disturbing smile, before to bowing the people and returning to their deep mediation.

"But I'm not a Djinni," Kagome murmured aloud, bowing her head towards a servant whom was carrying fresh linen through the halls. The servant smiled timidly, giving the young Empress a curt bow, before continuing her trip down the large halls, an odd flush upon her face.

Sighing loudly, Kagome continued her trek down the halls and towards the throne room, the thoughts of the Djinn still healthy in her mind.

She knew that there had to be some reason for her inability to talk – people didn't simply lose the ability to speak over something so trivial.

_No,_ Kagome thought, giving her self a mental reprimand, _not trivial. _

She knew that the visions she had while writing out the prophecy were connected, there was no other reason for them not to be. Each vision was heavily laden with death, destruction, and yet life and repair at the same time. Stressing her lower lip between her teeth, Kagome paused, allowing two soldiers to pass her, inclining her head slightly before continuing down the hall still completely confused and frustrated.

The prophecy was being played out and at first, she thought that it had everything to do with her but – the more she thought about it, the more she realized that it didn't. The death – it had started with her father, and she didn't know where it would end. People were going to die, to lose their lives, and all because she couldn't bring herself to speak – to find a way to _prevent_ their deaths.

Kagome had never felt so completely and utterly _useless_ in her life.

"If you keep making that face, it's going to stay stuck like that," a mocking voice replied from behind her.

Kagome started, slightly flustered, before whirling around to glare at the speaker. Miroku merely grinned, taking the moment to bow in respect.

Kagome took the second to scrutinize her friend, taking note of the flush of his cheeks, the way his chest rose and fell rapidly as though out of breath. His hair was slightly tousled, as though the wind had been blowing through it rapidly, tiny strands of loose hair poking out of the binding at the nape of his neck. Kagome smiled kindly, curtsying to her long time friend, before holding out her arm, gesturing for him to take it.

"So," Kagome began conversationally as the two walked down the hall, "whose daughter did you molest this time?"

"I am not even going to dignify that with a response," Miroku said somewhat indignantly, causing the Empress to flash him a blinding smile.

"Actually," Miroku started after a small moment of companionable silence, "I wanted to talk to you about something."

To Kagome, it was blatantly obvious he wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"Thanks, but I'm already married Miroku," Kagome started, unsure of whether or not she wanted to hear what he had to say. Miroku merely frowned at her, causing Kagome to fiddle with the belt loop of her dress uncomfortably.

"As much fun as an affair would be," Miroku said amiably, despite the seriousness of the entire issue, "I was wondering about the Western Territory."

"What about it?" Kagome asked, her fingers digging into his arm as her shoulders tensed.

_Oh please God no, don't bring this up, not now. I don't want to deal with this now,_ Kagome thought frantically, pain swelling within her chest. Miroku flashed her a saddened look, his thumb stroking over her knuckles gently, and Kagome knew that it was nothing short of a comforting gesture.

"They haven't been told yet, have they?"

Kagome whimpered slightly as her throat constricted, and tears threatened to spring up into her eyes.

_No, please no, not now, not when I have finally begun to forget._

"They have to be told you know, especially when it's so close to the time for tariffs to be collected," Miroku continued on, taking her silence as a confirmation.

And he knew – he knew how much the subject was hurting her, how much it caused her heart to ache so much. But there was nothing he could do about it, her father deserved to be honored – to have his memory honored and he was going to stick by his decision despite how much pain Kagome might be feeling. There was simply no other choice, and the people – the people deserved to know as well.

"Who cares about the tariffs?" Kagome choked out, "They shouldn't matter, he's… dead, Miroku. And he's not –"

"I _know_," Miroku sighed, stopping Kagome in the middle of the hall, "but the people need to know that one of their leaders are dead Kagome. It's the only way to honor his memory."

"But people _do_ know Miroku," Kagome retorted, blinking back the unshed tears that threatened to spill down her face, " we already had his funeral and everything I don't –"

"People in the castle know he's dead Kagome," Miroku replied, dropping any and all formality. Kagome gasped, her eyes wide as she stared at the man in front of her completely surprised at his sudden boldness to drop any and all formality and – inadvertently – break the law. "But he's not just dead," Miroku continued, ignoring her surprise, " he was _murdered_. Don't you think his province has the right to know that their leader is dead? It's not just about honoring his death as well," Miroku paused, lifting a hand to wipe the small trail of tears away from her cheeks, " tariffs are supposed to be collected within a fortnight. If the tariffs from the Western Territory aren't collected it could cause an imbalance within the economy," Miroku explained, his hands tightening around her smaller ones.

"This just isn't about the fact that he was murdered, the Western Territories need another leader to watch over them. Normally, since you are his only living relative, that job would be given to you, but since you are the Empress and you have to look over the nation as a whole you can't do that," Miroku trailed off, taking note of Kagome's blank features, the way her eyes turned a dark dull gray before continuing, "and it's obvious you haven't healed yet."

Kagome suddenly jerked away from Miroku, her eyes blazing, glittering a dark and dangerous blue as she clenched her fists at her side.

"You don't know what you're talking about," she ground out, trying her best to keep her anger in check. Miroku smiled, bowing at the waste, before taking her arm in his, patting her knuckles gently.

"I know enough," he said amiably, "you seem to forget Empress, your father was close to me as well."

"I know," Kagome moaned, massaging her one of her temples, "but that still doesn't mean that you have any right –"

"You're in my damn way."

Kagome paused, turning her gaze to the right, her eyes widening in slight shock as she took in the arrogant servant standing a couple feet away from them, a large cauldron filled with water balanced precariously in his hands.

"Inuyasha?"

The servant grunted, flicking his hair over his shoulder with a flick of his head, before glaring at the couple in the middle of the hall.

"As much as I would like to stay and chat, this ain't exactly light," he replied, ignoring the dark look that Miroku shot his way.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize…" Kagome mumbled uncertainly, tugging Miroku out of Inuyasha's way.

"Keh, whatever," Inuyasha started before trotting down the hall. He paused halfway, turning to look at Kagome, his amber eyes shimmering somewhat oddly as he addressed her once again, "Better not let your husband find out your flirting with other men, _Empress_." He bit out sarcastically, before continuing down the hall.

Miroku blinked after him, a frown apparent on his features before he turned towards Kagome, taking note of the way her hands were twisted within the fabrics of her dress.

"You shouldn't let a servant walk all over you like that," Miroku said cautiously, his fingers gripping her wrist.

"It's not like anyone else doesn't treat me like crap," Kagome shot back, her eyes flashing dangerously. Miroku merely sighed, glancing back down the hall, just in time to see Inuyasha curse another servant as she bumped into him.

"Well, he certainly doesn't act like a servant," Miroku commented, tugging Kagome in the opposite direction.

"No," Kagome agreed, her arm linking with Miroku's once more, "but he's a foreigner. I met him on the same day that Naraku showed me my father's…" Kagome frowned suddenly, turning to look at Miroku. "Economic imbalance you say?"

Miroku grinned.

* * *

Onigumo glared at his son, his arms crossing over his chest as Naraku glared back; his stare piercing through the older mans body like ice. 

The two men had been arguing for the good half of the morning, and Onigumo began to hate himself more and more for allowing his son to take over the Northern Lands at such a naïve age. Despite the fact that he had been trained for seven entire years, it still didn't dismiss the fact that he was indeed naïve when it came to how to rule the country, and it was apparent that he was allowing his power to go to his head. But despite Onigumo's efforts to sway his son's decision, Naraku was still being completely and utterly stubborn.

Onigumo watched his son, taking note of the way he folded and unfolded the papers in his hands – the way his eyes flashed angrily whenever he looked at the words upon them once more, before uttering a single curse, only to repeat the process. He thought that convincing his son to speak to his wife about the matter might have helped alleviate the anger rising within him, but it did nothing of the sort. At the simple mention of his wife, Naraku would only become angrier, a disgusted look appearing on his face. But despite that fact, he knew that he had to convince his son to calm down before it came time to meet with his advisors otherwise – otherwise his temper would be completely unbearable.

"Naraku," Onigumo started slowly, almost cautiously, "it really would be in your best interest to –"

But Naraku merely dismissed him with a wave of his hand, unfolding the papers in front of him once more. "I refuse to speak to that child about matters such as this," he said while smoothing the papers out, his eyes reading the words written on them once again. Naraku's lip curled in disgust before he pushed the papers away from him, only to snatch them back and fold them once more.

"Naraku," Onigumo said quietly, sitting down across from his son, "you sleep in the same bed as her, surely it won't hurt you to speak to her. After all, she is your wife."

"Most unfortunate," Naraku said calmly, flipping through the papers in front of him until he came to the bottom of the stack, "her mother was the daughter of a whore. Surely you knew of this before you decided to – marry us off," he said somewhat vindictively, his eyes taking in the beautiful cursive upon the page.

"I did," Onigumo replied, folding his hands neatly in front of him, "but I still believe that you should allow her to see those documents."

Naraku paused in his reading, his eyes flicking to his fathers still form, before chuckling in disgust, his eyes scanning the papers in front of him once more.

"Technically that makes her a whore as well," Naraku started conversationally, knowing that it would make his father shake with unrepressed anger, "was it your intent to marry me off to a whore father? Or were you just hoping that perhaps as soon as I've had my fill of her, she would come running to you as well?"

The comment had its desired affect as Onigumo's fist connected with the table, his body shaking with rage as his eyes flashed dangerously. One hand clenched the end of the table as Onigumo glared, his knuckles turning white as he regarded his son angrily, know full well that he had been baited, but not caring in the least. His son had absolutely no right – none whatsoever – to insult his wife, let alone his own father, regardless of the situation.

"Father," Naraku started slowly, absently bending the corner of one of the papers in front of him, "there is a reason why you allowed me to become Emperor at such a young age," Naraku shifted his cool gaze to his father, noting the anger that continued to flash behind his eyes, "it is because you are far too emotional over trivial things. Now, I suggest you leave me in peace lest you wish to be escorted," Naraku said calmly, motioning to the two guards near the entrance of his office. Onigumo merely glared, however, shifting away from his son to adjust his robes.

"And you are too naïve to know that in order to run a country, you need to have emotions, not just that disgusting cold callousness. Tell me Naraku, have you slept with her yet?" Onigumo stood tall, forcing himself not to grin at the sour expression that suddenly flitted across his son's face.

"What we do in our own chambers is none of your concern," Naraku said angrily, standing up in one fluid motion. Onigumo smiled wickedly, taking note of the way his son's hands immediately moved to grip the hilt of his sword.

"But it is because of the fact that you are so callous that she won't _allow_ you to sleep with her. You may think that you have control over the relationship, but truly it is _she_ controlling _you_. Why else would you get so angry over the simple fact that she is in the company of other men?" Onigumo replied smoothly as he walked to the door of Naraku's office, feeling his son's angry eyes following his every movement, "but then again, whores are good at doing that." And without another word, Onigumo left Naraku's presence, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Naraku's lips curled back in disgust, his eyes narrowing as he watched his father leave, unsure of what to do.

His father had just pulled his legs right out from under him, leaving him completely and utterly vulnerable, for he _knew_ what his father was insinuating. Kagome was bound to find out one way or another, and unless he wanted to take control of the relationship he would have to do his best to keep her from it – to be able to manipulate her to bend to his will. Keeping her in his sight at all times – that only made the woman more frustrated, and there were times when he would see that deadly glimmer in her eyes, almost as though she were ready to kill him. But allowing her freedom was simply out of the question, because then – then he would be bending to _her_ will – she wanted nothing more than to stay away from him.

"Bastard," Naraku cursed both his father and Kagome, his fingers dancing along the hilt of his sword. There was simply no way to win – whatever he did, Kagome would always remain in control of him somehow – whether it be his anger or his kindness – she was able to sway it regardless of what she did. And now, Naraku just wished that he could have done nothing more than kill her along with her father, to be able to have seen their blood mix in a beautiful pool of red. It would have been so completely and utterly _beautiful._

"Naraku?" A quiet yet strong voice spoke out, and Naraku immediately stopped his mental rant to take in the bowing form of his wife. He repressed the urge to growl, instead adjusting himself in his seat, smoothing his robes out over his skin.

"You may speak," he said, unable to keep the sudden bitterness out of his voice. Kagome nodded, curtsying once again, before taking a seat in front of his desk, her hands immediately clenching the fabric of her dress tightly.

"I request permission to make a public announcement," Kagome replied calmly, locking her eyes to his.

"For what reason?"

"The Western Territory –"

"Is of none of your concern," Naraku replied coolly, folding the documents neatly in front of him before slipping them into the pockets of his robes.

"I'm afraid I disagree with you," Kagome said calmly, running over everything Miroku told her in her mind once more, "you see, the Western Territories were under the govern of my father, and he passed away. You, as Emperor, must know very well that as soon as the leader of a certain Province within the Northern Lands passes away, the title of governor of that province is immediately inherited by someone who is related of blood," Kagome paused, letting out a breath that she didn't know she was holding before continuing, "as my father's only living relative, I feel that it is my duty to make a public announcement that my father has indeed passed away, and that a new leader is being selected to rule over the Western Territory."

Naraku regarded her calmly, already knowing that he would deny her the privilege of going to the Western Territories as a _Higurashi_ and not under her married name. Even if she did go as Empress, he would deny her the privilege of doing so, he reminded himself.

"Permission denied," Naraku said calmly, surprised when she didn't deflate at his refusal.

"Naturally, as Emperor, you are aware of the fact that it is almost time for tariffs to be collected," Kagome started innocently, trying her best not to grin smugly at the angry expression that marred her husbands usually handsome features, "and as Emperor, you are also aware of the fact that governor of the Western Territory is the person to go and collect the tariffs. And as Emperor, I am positive that you are also aware of the fact that if the tariffs are not collected that it could create an economic imbalance within the Northern Lands," Kagome replied, her voice raising slightly throughout her monologue.

"I wonder," Kagome started again as a sudden thought occurred to her, ignoring the way her husband glared at her, "if the person that _murdered_ my father had that in mind." Kagome paused, locking eyes with her husband before smiling gently, tossing some hair over her shoulder. "I suppose not, but don't worry, I won't say anything that will make this country bad."

And Kagome left the room, knowing full well that there was absolutely no way Naraku would stop her from making her speech – otherwise, he wouldn't be fulfilling his duties as Emperor.

And Naraku knew it as well – but his sudden bout of cursing wasn't from the fact that his duties as Emperor were tying him down, but because of the fact that he realized his wife had more control over their relationship than he originally anticipated.

* * *

Sango paused in the middle of her lesson, wiping sweat from her brow before walking towards the edge of the clearing, her throat tight and parched. Kikyou watched her oddly, ignoring the sweat that dripped from the ends of her long ebony hair, the way her muscles ached from the intense workout, or the sudden pounding behind her eyes. She had never seen Sango stop in the middle of a fight in order to get something to drink, so she knew that the female soldier must have been somewhat bothered by the moist humid air, and the unwanted heat despite it being so close to Winter. 

Kagura sent Kikyou a questioning glance, her red eyes glimmering oddly, before she too, followed Sango over to the edge of the clearing where their belongings were carelessly scattered across the ground.

"I think we should take a short break, probably have some fruit before we start training again," Sango replied after taking a small drink of water, handing the canteen to Kagura who accepted it immediately. Kanna, and Kikyou's younger brother Hojo both sat near their belongings, both of them alternating between talking quietly, and watching as the four adults fought one another. Yura merely sat down in the middle of the clearing, before taking her comb from the folds of her black slacks and began brushing her hair slowly.

"Yura," Sango started, grinning as the adult jumped slightly, before turning to face the other woman, "you have the tendency to leave your right side vulnerable for attack; you must learn to shield every part of your body while being able to attack your opponents as well – keep that in mind," Sango said as she tossed a nectarine to the girl, " Kagura, you are almost flawless, although you have no style when it comes to your attack, it seems as though you just search for the most vulnerable spot on a person, and attack, but doing so can make _you _vulnerable in return," Sango said to the mute girl, who frowned at her critique. Kikyou waited silently, hoping to know her faults, and yet fearing them at the same time.

Sango seemed to be mulling over her words slightly, and for that, Kikyou was grateful. Nestling next to her brother, she smiled gently as he passed her some fruit, ignoring the strange look that Kanna had sent her way. Kikyou bit into her apple, her head resting against the shoulder of her younger brother as he began to converse with Kanna quietly, only being able to gather bits and pieces of their conversation. Truthfully, Kikyou didn't care – she just wanted to know Sango's analysis of her performance – she wanted to know that she would be able to protect her family – to get revenge on the ones who had taken her parents life without a second thought.

Feeling his older sister suddenly tense up next to him, Hojo curled his fingers around her hand, smiling when she immediately relaxed at the familiar contact.

"Are you feeling all right, Kikyou?" He asked, running his thumb over her knuckles gently.

"I'm fine," Kikyou replied curtly, her eyes meeting Sango's.

Sango bit into her nectarine nonchalantly, before taking another drink of water, folding her legs underneath her. She was aware of the fact that Kikyou was anxious – wanting to be able to hear her analysis of the older woman's battle skills, but she also knew that patience is what every soldier needed to possess. She just hoped that Kikyou was able to understand that, was able to know the reason why she was taking so long to give her analysis. The fact that Kikyou merely took another bite of her apple confirmed the fact that, yes, Kikyou was a patient being.

"Kikyou," Sango started slowly as she set down her water bottle, taking note of the way Kanna straightened at the older woman's voice, " your sword strokes are beautiful but," Sango paused for a moment, her eyes locking with Kikyou's, "you are extremely aggressive. It's almost as though you are going into a battle unprotected – you're allowing your aggressive nature to show, and any soldier would be able to take advantage of that. Whenever you go into battle you must never allow your feelings to show on your face, otherwise you have already lost," Sango paused once more, taking a small sip of water, before continuing, "when you are so aggressive with your fighting, you have the tendency to open yourself up to attack. You fight with no style, no skill. It's almost like swinging a sword blindly, and it's extremely easy for your opponent to predict your next move. It's almost as though you are allowing your rage to take control of your mind, and not letting your mind take control of your body."

"So how long do you think it will be before Kikyou is fully ready to infiltrate the castle?" Kanna asked, shooting Kikyou a condescending glance. Kagura glared at her sister, before exchanging a knowing glance with Yura, who immediately stood up and began to stalk towards the group.

"It depends on how long it takes for her to take control," Sango said with a shrug, unaware of the oncoming argument that was about to erupt between the two women.

"Control?" Kanna said somewhat bitterly, "Kikyou's been lacking control since she was a child."

Kikyou's eyes narrowed, and instinctively, she rose to her feet, ready to berate the normally quiet teen when Yura and Hojo stepped in front of her, both of them wearing pensive looks on their faces.

"Enough," Yura and Hojo said at the same time.

"I think," Hojo said, bowing to Sango politely, "that it would be best to end training for the day. Plus it's almost midday, and that is the time when Rin will be coming to the cottage to visit us." Hojo replied calmly, smiling nicely when a line formed between Sango's brows.

"Very well," Sango said with a shrug of her shoulders, as everyone started to pack their things – with the exception of Kikyou – who merely glared at Kanna.

And Sango couldn't help but notice that she inadvertently missed something. What had been said that had gotten them so riled up?

* * *

'Your running out of time…' 

There were twenty-six rooms total.

'Kikyou wants it memorized within a month…' 

Five separate exits.

'Start with the first floor and work your way up…' 

Thirteen halls that intersected with one main hall.

'Then learn when each guard circles each floor…' 

Four different guards protected the throne room; the entrance of which was located at the back of the castle for safety precautions.

_'Make sure not to be too obvious…'_

Two staircases that lead to two watch towers – one at the North section of the castle, one at the Southern Section of the castle.

_'But don't forget that you are a _servant_ as well…'_

One staircase that led to the second floor sleeping chambers, and one stair case that led underground to the servants sleeping quarters.

'Don't get caught…' 

Inuyasha froze at the foot of the staircase, taking a look around the deserted hallway. He had already learned the majority of the first floor; not having been allowed to enter the throne room – and he felt as though he could move up to the second floor. But he knew for a fact, that the second floor were the sleeping quarters of the nobles, and if he were in fact allowed to travel up there, he would have to have either been summoned or actually working.

He was doing neither.

Instead, he was running around the first floor, marveling at the lack of security _and_ noble persons, before completely ignoring it. He had been running around for the better part of the afternoon, having been dismissed from working for Kaede somewhat early, and had decided to take Rin's advice. After all, he had promised that he would help them get into the castle, although, he had no idea why they simply wouldn't allow Rin to learn the layout of the castle. After all, she had been working within the palace longer than he had. Frowning, Inuyasha scratched one furry ear, all the while staring up the long staircase.

Did he really have to take the time to memorize the castle? He did after all, have an entire month, which meant that if he were simply there for a couple more weeks, he would be able to learn the layout of the castle _without_ having to sneak away at any free moment with the risk of getting caught. Besides, he would be able to relax, and he did have his own reasons for being at the Northern Lands in the first place.

Turning away from the stairs, Inuyasha chewed on his lower lip, his thoughts immediately straying back to the last conversation he had with Kagome. She had mentioned something strange – something about a prophecy – and no matter how much he had asked around about it, no one seemed to want to explain to him. They merely gave him a startled look, bowing profusely before scampering away from him, only to whisper to someone on the other side of the room about the questions he asked.

Everyone within the Northern Lands were simply so tight-lipped, and Inuyasha didn't know how to go about loosening them up. Briefly, he entertained the thought of holding his sword to their necks before they confessed everything, but he immediately threw that idea away. There was simply no way he would allow himself to get caught, especially since he had gotten this far, and infiltrated the castle without suspicions. Inuyasha couldn't help but grin, his brother must be extremely proud.

Almost instinctively, Inuyasha's hands plunged into the folds of his slacks, gripping the enveloped piece of paper tightly, knowing full well that he would have to get the letter delivered to Sango, who in turn, would get it delivered to the Southern Lands. He did, in fact, have to let his brother know that the castle infiltration was successful and they _weren't_ dying somewhere in the middle of the sand domes.

"For someone who is supposed to be a servant, you don't act like one," a voice commented from behind him, effectively jarring Inuyasha out of his thoughts.

Inuyasha whirled around, frowning when he spotted an ebony-haired young man, accompanied by an older – yet still handsome – man with a sword attached to his hip. Inuyasha frowned, watching as the two of them eyed him expectantly, before he fell into a bow, cursing mentally.

_Cause I'm not a damned servant,_ Inuyasha thought bitterly – waiting until they gaze him permission to rise, _I'm a soldier, and if I had my sword I'd decapitate you for making a damned fool out of me…_

"You may rise," the older man stated calmly, his fingers massaging his armored wrist gently.

"Care to explain why you are not in the servant's quarters and wandering around the castle?" The boy asked, and Inuyasha suddenly recognized him.

"Keh."

"I'm afraid there is no other choice," the older man commented amiably, his fingers encircling the hilt of his sword, as though attempting to threaten him. Inuyasha merely shrugged his shoulders, ignoring the sharp glare that the armored man gave him.

"No one's summoned me, why the hell do I have to stay in the servants quarters?"

"Because," the ebony-haired boy explained, "it's the rules of the castle."

"What the fuck ever," Inuyasha grumbled, holding back a malicious growl when the armored man pushed passed him, effectively stabbing him in the side with the hilt of his sword. The ebony-haired male watched in mild amusement, his arms folding neatly across his chest, as he watched his father walk down the hallway tall and proud, and – he reminded himself, somewhat angered.

Pausing a moment, Inuyasha watched the armored man walk away, before turning towards the boy, an eyebrow raised in question.

"You don't," the boy stated conversationally a small smile of amusement apparent on his face.

"I'm not," Inuyasha replied, fully understanding the statement.

The ebony-haired boy smiled, inclining his head in acknowledgement, before taking a step towards Inuyasha, his eyes glittering in amusement.

"I'm Miroku," he said simply, unfolding his arms to smooth the front of his robes.

Inuyasha scowled, nodding stiffly in agreement, before turning and walking down the hall, Miroku keeping pace with him.

_Great, just what I fucking needed,_ Inuyasha cursed mentally sending Miroku a suspicious look, _a fucking master._

* * *

Kagome paused, her eyes scanning the crowd almost nervously as she clutched the curtain that shielded her body from the outside. 

The incident from her wedding was still very much present in her mind, and she was a tad bit reluctant to have to face them again – to have to deal with their taunts and jeers. But she knew that the first step to being an Empress was to overcome the fear of the crowd – to show that she was the one whom was truly in power, and not the other way around. She knew that she was a strong person – she had been able to face her husband without construing her hurt over her fathers death, without letting him know how much she truly feared him – how much she truly feared his refusal.

Miroku had been right, she hadn't healed yet, and it was only when she thought back on the day her father died when she realized it. But Miroku wasn't simply helping her overcome a past hurt – he was helping her to lead, nudging her to take that first step in becoming Empress, and it was more than welcome. But now – now that she was being forced to face the crowd, to have to deal with their hate, she was somewhat regretting her decision to make the announcement despite how much she knew it was necessary. She already knew that her husband was working to find a new governor for the Western Territory, one that she might approve of as much as he, for the simple fact that the Western Territory _did_ fall under her rule, and she couldn't help but wonder just how long it would take him.

Certainly he would find a suitable noble before it came time to collect tariffs, otherwise –

_Otherwise it would create an economic imbalance,_ Kagome reminded herself, clenching the skirts of her dress tightly.

Behind her, she could hear her advisors whispering rapidly, each of them surprised at the last minute public announcement that was to take place. And Kagome had to admit, it was rather brash of her, but there was no other choice. Inwardly, she wished that she could be taking care of her studies, in which she knew she was slipping due to her new title, rather than make an elaborate speech to the public but – she was an Empress, and she simply had to remember that. Making this speech would bring honor, not only to herself, but to her husband as well – people would know that she hadn't allowed one indecent public incident to get the best of her, that she wouldn't be ousted by mere 'peasants' as her husband so eloquently called them.

_But that really did hurt,_ Kagome thought distantly, rubbing her previously offended cheek gently.

Her advisors stopped talking, each of them turning to look at Kagome, before whispering rapidly again, and Kagome could have sworn that she heard the words _servant_ and _flirting_ within the same sentences.

Shooting her wards an offended look, Kagome chose to ignore them, knowing full well that they were merely gossiping – they had no idea what was truly going on.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome steeled herself, attempting to hide away any and all emotions that would leave her vulnerable – to be detached yet jovial – fixing a false smile upon herself. The guard next to her offered her a sympathetic smile, and Kagome could only nod, her blue eyes glimmering brightly before dulling to a listless gray. The guard could only gape in shock, his flat brown eyes boring into hers before he turned away slightly flustered. Kagome rose an eyebrow in question, smoothing out the skirts of her dress, before turning to her advisors and motioning them to stand.

The crowd outside was thickening immensely, people from all over the Northern Lands flocking to the main city as day slowly melted into night, just to hear the urgent speech that the Empress was supposed to give.

"News sure does travel fast," Kagome said to Erri, whom was currently fussing with her hair.

"You're important," Yuka replied with a shrug of her shoulders as she pinned the hem of Kagome's dress so that she would refrain from tripping over it as she walked out on the balcony.

"And don't worry," Ayumi said as she applied a thin layer of powder to Kagome's tanned skin in order to make her look pale, "the guards are making sure that no one can hurt you again."

"What was the deal with those people anyways? Being rude like that," Erri retorted, tightening the binding around Kagome's bun, "they're lucky that they weren't found and executed."

"Exactly," Yuka said, forgetting that Kagome was currently standing between the two of them, "I mean really, what are they going to achieve by pegging the Empress in the side of the face? Honestly, people these days are so idiotic."

At that point, Kagome decided to tune the conversation out, smiling at Ayumi who wiping Kagome's hands with a wet cloth.

A knock sounded at the door a few minutes later, and Kagome took a deep breath, shooting the guard next to her an uneasy look as he flanked her, almost as though expecting another attack.

Kagome waited a few minutes, her hand clutching the red fabric of the curtains, as though attempting to slow her breathing – to lessen the beating of her heart. And after a brief moment of reluctance, Kagome tucked away most of her emotions, that same false smile on her face as she slipped through the curtains, the guard at her side, as she readied to give her speech.

* * *

Inuyasha leaned back against the wall, a scowl on his face as Miroku chatted away with his father, completely ignoring the indignant servant. 

And, quite frankly, Inuyasha was tired of waiting. They had been standing in the sun, watching from their protected places in the Gardens, waiting for the Empress to step out on the balcony that overlooked the village, to make her speech. And as far as Inuyasha was concerned, it was taking too long. He could hear the villager's voices being carried through the air; each of them wondering just what exactly was going on – why exactly they had been requested to attend this announcement.

Inuyasha couldn't help but think that it was completely and utterly worthless, making a speech about someone who was already dead, but for some reason, when Miroku explained the entire situation to him, he couldn't help but agree. For some reason, he wished that customs within the Southern Lands were somewhat identical to that of the Northern Lands, but then again, that would mean that he would have to know what a Djinni was, and he didn't feel like worshipping a being that shouldn't even exist.

Tapping a clawed finger against his forearms in annoyance, Inuyasha scowled up at the balcony, wishing very much that the Empress would just –

Inuyasha's irritated thoughts faded into nothing as she walked out on the balcony, her once blue eyes a dull and listless gray.

_Just like that time in the Gardens, _he thought as his ears folded down to mold against the frame of his skull. He took in her tense shoulders, the way her eyes darted back and forth across the crowd in a hurried frenzy, almost as though she were afraid of being attacked once again, only to stop at the railing and grip it tightly with both hands.

"Doesn't take a fucking God to realize she's nervous as hell," Inuyasha said to Miroku, who had stopped conversing with his father as soon as she stepped out onto the stage. Miroku raised an amused eyebrow, his lips quirking upwards at his servant's bold comment.

"Stupid wench," Inuyasha continued to mutter, his arms crossing over his chest as Kagome began to speak, her voice soft calming and gentle. "I told her that he ain't coming back, she's just wastin' her damned time."

At that comment, Miroku cuffed Inuyasha's ears, a line forming between his brows at the rude comment. Inuyasha let out a low growl, his ears flattening against his skull once more, before leaning against a naked tree, his arms crossed over his chest defiantly. Miroku merely resisted the urge to chuckle at Inuyasha's constant mood swings, before turning back towards the balcony to listen to Kagome's speech.

"I must also sincerely apologize for being the only person who was able to inform you all of this remorseful news," Inuyasha watched as Kagome paused, her eyes fluttering closed for a brief moment as tears got caught on her lashes, "my father, Lord Daisuke Higurashi, governor of the Western Territory of the Northern Lands pass – passed away," Kagome said, her voice cracking as she looked out at the crowd. And then suddenly, a laugh tore from her throat. The sound was cold and bitter, almost as though she had found something extremely ironic. Her hands gripped the railing of the balcony tightly, and Inuyasha could see how tense her muscles were – the unshed tears that were glimmering in her eyes.

She was laughing because her only other choice was to cry.

"Damn," Inuyasha heard Miroku mumble as Kagome calmed down, smiling sadly down at the crowd.

"Murdered," she started out slowly, tensing as she spotted something out of the corner of her eye, "my father was murdered. He was found in the Eastern Section of the palace, with six different stab wounds in his chest and his ribs. Needless to say, as the current governor of the Western Territory due to my blood relation, I am going to be finding someone else to hand the title down to, due to the fact that I am Empress and I won't be able to take the time to deal with governing the Western Territory. Tariffs will be collected on schedule, and you will only be permitted to visit the gravesite of Lord Higurashi with permission. Have a nice day," and with that Kagome disappeared from the balcony, tears streaming down her face rapidly.

"Well," Miroku began after an odd moment of silence, "that certainly wasn't expected."

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted, silently marveling at the way her eyes changed back to a dark blue when she started to cry.

"You haven't used up your daily quota of vocabulary for the day, have you?" Miroku asked in slight amusement, cocking his head to the side.

"Fuck you," Inuyasha mumbled, before turning to Miroku with a sudden smirk on his face, "so, _Master_, think you can tell me what the hell a Djinn is?"

Miroku merely chuckled in amusement.

* * *

Kikyou stood frozen, her heart ramming against her ribcage as she heard those four words play over and over again in her mind. 'My father was murdered…' 

Kikyou knew that she didn't want to believe it – that she wanted to act like the entire situation was nothing more than a hoax – but the Higurashi child – she simply had no reason to lie, and now – she could slowly feel her revenge slipping from her grasp, sliding further and further away from her as it became almost nonexistent. Her hopes, hopes of destroying the ones who had betrayed her – who had made her doubt her trust in everything that was meant to be good, they no longer existed. There was no way for her to spill the blood of the one she truly hated, no way for her heart to feel at ease once more. Everything simply disappeared, along with the life of the man she hated more than anything.

Kikyou felt empty, and her throat constricted with unrepressed pain.

Kanna glanced towards the older woman, her hazel eyes glimmering with slight emotion, before she flicked her white tresses over shoulder, motioning for the rest group to leave.

"There's still Higurashi's daughter Kikyou," Kanna replied, trying – but not succeeding – to quell the urge to comfort the older woman. Kanna touched her arm gently, taking note of the way the woman tensed, her brown eyes flashing with something akin to anger before she turned to stalk off, a thin line between her brows and a frown on her face.

Kanna couldn't help but get angry at the sudden dismissal.

"You know, it's very ironic," Kanna said quietly, her voice filled deadly venom, "if we killed Higurashi, it would be exactly like killing you."

And before Kikyou even had the chance to retort Kanna joined the rest of the group, reassuring a worried Hojo that everything was all right.

And within that moment, Kikyou had never felt so completely hated in her life – so completely _empty._

She had never felt like crying more in her entire life.


	10. Chapter Ten

_Through The Eyes Of An Innocent_

_Chapter Ten_

* * *

"And just what do you think _you_ are doing?" Erri asked, ignoring the way Yuka shot her a deadly glare. Next to her, Ayumi gave the eldest of the three girls a sheepish glance, grabbing hold of the tapestry that Yuka had decidedly deposited in her arms.

"Nothing that is of your concern, Erri. Now, if you would, go fetch the Empress, it is almost time for her appearance with court." Yuka nodded, kneeling in front of the giant stonewall, her eyes twisted into that of concentration.

"Yes, yes, regardless, we are all supposed to help her pick out what to wear, and yet, here you are, in her _father's_ chambers, collecting all of his things, and crawling around on the ground like some insane little child. Now, Yuka, please do tell me exactly _what_ you think you are doing," Erri demanded, crossing her arms over her chest, as though to intimidate the youngest of the three.

It had been extremely strange, walking into the room only to see her two sisters pillaging through Lord Higurashi's chambers like they were thieves… rummaging through drawers, digging through pockets and looking underneath beds, for something they apparently haven't found yet. It had taken her a good while to get over her initial shock of her sisters doing something… something so utterly dishonorable that it could get them _killed_, after all, their Empress had not expressed wishes of allowing them to wander around her father's room, and go through his belongings. In fact, she hadn't given the order for anyone to deal with her father's belongings, let alone go through them herself, so it was quite surprising to see her sisters doing so. And she knew, with the utmost certainty, that she most likely would have simply watched them continue rummaging through Lord Higurashi's belongings, but common sense and fear had overpowered her initial shock.

Yuka merely shot her another irritated glance, running her fingers along soft, plush rug on the ground, acting as though it were the most beautiful thing in existence.

"Erri," Ayumi started, glancing at her older sister, "you really should go and help the Empress get ready… after all, if not a single one of us is there then, well, we all will get into trouble, and I really don't want to do that."

"Yes, well you could get into even more trouble sitting here, going through Lord Higurashi's things! And, not to mention, you'll be in a lot more trouble then you'll be if you aren't available to Lady Kagome when she'll need us most!" Erri hissed, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. On the ground, Yuka let out a disgruntled sigh, moving to stand, despite being in such a constricting dress, and Ayumi looked between her two sisters nervously, knowing for certain that a fight was going to break out among the siblings.

"Look," Yuka started, not feeling in the least bit patient, "if I do tell you what I am doing, which you might think me crazy for, then would you _please_ just go get the Empress ready? It's not as though I don't trust Rin, but she has been acting rather suspicious lately, and with this whole prophecy making everyone even more nervous, I really need to get this done. Besides, you are the only one I truly trust to make Lady Kagome look like an actual Lady. Rin is too much of a tomboy, after all." Yuka finished, her last comment earning a snort from her older sister. Ayumi, herself, was a little skeptical of her eldest sister actually excepting the offer that Yuka had given her, but had wisely decided to stay out of the conversation. She really did dislike getting the way of her two sisters, even though, most of the time, she was always being forced to bring peace between them whenever they really got going, but she knew that Erri would have no choice but to accept it.

They had made a promise not to speak of this to anyone, but now that they had been caught… Ayumi had thought that they would have managed to keep their sister away from them, but of course, when Erri was determined, she always got what she wanted. Which was probably why she was able to find them in the first place. They were sisters, and they had been around each other so much that they knew each other inside and out. The castle was huge, and although they had distracted her, Erri would have gone to where they most frequented anyways, the lower corridors. And, luckily enough for them, that is where Lord Higurashi's chambers were. Ayumi had no doubt that Yuka was probably cursing their luck in her head, all the while wondering why Lord Higurashi would _want_ to have his chambers located in the lower corridors.

It was common knowledge that his _office_ was located on the second floor, along with those of the other nobles, but to have his rooms in the lower corridors… that had been a shock to both of the sisters when they had been informed of it. Not to mention, it made them extremely uncomfortable. Absolutely no one ventured in there, unless given permission, but with their job as advisors, they had to make visits there often. But… Lord Higurashi's chambers were so deep within the lower corridors, that it had made them uncomfortable. Which puzzled Ayumi to no end because, obviously, Erri was _not_ afraid of being so deep within the corridors, if her actions now were any implication.

Glancing back and forth between her two sisters, Ayumi fidgeted, the silence getting to her, causing the hair on her arms to stand up on end (not that anyone could see it, they did, after all, have to wear long sleeves… revealing any part of their body, apart from their faces, was not considered lady like… although the Empress got away with it more than usual, Ayumi noted absently).

"Erri…" Yuka started quietly, the look on her face showing her impatience, and within that instant, Erri's shoulders slumped, and she let out a loud sigh, tugging on her bangs angrily.

"Fine, fine, _fine._ I will only cover for you once and only once. But after that, you will need to get back to your duties. You two have been slacking ever since Lady Kagome's announcement and…" Erri blinked suddenly, comprehension dawning on her face as she glanced back and forth between the two girls, looking extremely and utterly shocked. "You two… you aren't, are you?"

Ayumi gasped, the tapestry in her hands falling to the ground abruptly as her hands flew to her mouth, her eyes unnaturally wide. Yuka stood still, her hands trembling, her eyes narrowing, as though she couldn't believe the _audacity_ her elder sister to suggest such a thing, and her hands were curling into fists at her side.

"I don't know who you think I am, Erri, but I would _never_ cause Lady Kagome the grief that… that _monster_ did. Now, if you would _please_ leave, I have things that need to be finished. The door is over there."

"Oh, Yuka," Erri said, shaking her head sadly, "I didn't mean it like that. What I meant is that… you guys aren't trying to figure out who did, are you? Because, if you are, I'd be more than willing to help you and –"

"Erri, please, I have things I need to do. I will catch you up on everything later," Yuka said curtly, once again crouched on the floor, her fingers running along the thick wood of the bedpost. Erri, knowing that this argument was probably lost (and feeling extremely annoyed and put out because of it) merely nodded her agreement, her arms crossed over her chest sullenly.

"Just… just at least tell me who sent you in here. I know that you two wouldn't come in here without getting an order from someone. It's not like you two are thieves after all."

Ayumi looked at her youngest sister, uncertain and most definitely afraid of the fight that would, most definitely break out this time, however, Yuka remained silent for a long moment, her fingers stilling on the wood. Erri bounced on the balls of her feet, as though excited about what was going to happen, her hands twisting into her sash that reminded the middle sister oddly of Lady Higurashi.

"You aren't going to leave until I tell you, are you?" Yuka asked, tugging on the sheet to his bed.

"No, not at all," Erri answered, smiling excitedly, "So, who sent you?"

"You have to promise that you won't tell a soul, Erri, I mean swear to me, on our father's sacrifice that you won't tell a soul."

Ayumi gave a strangled cough, her fingers digging into the thick red tapestry that was once covering the floor, and both sisters' were aware that she was uncomfortable with Erri having to make that promise. But, Erri undoubtedly knew that if Yuka was making her swear on something so… so _sacred_ that it was extremely important, and she couldn't tell a _soul._

"I swear," she started quietly, her eyes on the ground as grief swelled within her, "on my father's sacrifice, that I won't tell a single soul about what was discussed, and will most likely be discussed in and outside of this room, or the actions that have occurred."

"The person, or rather, per_sons_ that have sent us are Governess Kaede, and Lord Miroku."

Erri forgot how to breathe.

* * *

Kagome fidgeted, her fingers digging into the belt of her dress. 

She had been waiting for this moment all day – waiting for the day when she would finally be made to stand in front of the entire court next to her husband – waiting to be finally accepted as Empress and actually _do _something that an Empress would be expected to do and… well, she had expected something more. Not to simply sit in a chair and listen to people drone on and on about things that bored her to no end. Part of her wished that she had a piece of paper and some ink and quill, that way, she could at least keep herself busy like she had during the chamber meeting but… no. Instead, she was being forced to sit up straight, and actually _pretend_ that she cared about everything that Naraku's advisors, and father, decided to speak about.

She was also certain that her husband was aware of the fact that she didn't want to be there, and, judging by the dark looks that he was giving her from time to time, she wasn't doing a great job of concealing her boredom either. All the same, she would have to sleep with him again, that night, which she wasn't exactly looking forward to, because now that he had finally become _comfortable_ with staying in her room, despite hating staying with _her_, she realized that he wasn't exactly the nicest person to sleep with.

For one, he was always kicking, hitting, or pulling her hair whenever she slept. At first, she thought that he was doing it on purpose, but then she had discovered that he was actually _asleep_ when he was doing it, she couldn't help but get a shiver down her spine. It was obvious that he was extremely violent when he was awake, but the fact that he was also violent in his dreams was more than a little disconcerting. The first time she had felt his fingers digging harshly into her scalp, she had given a small yelp of pain, before rolling away from him, frightened that she had done something wrong. But then, when she had found out he was merely _sleeping_… she found that she could not bring herself to sleep any longer.

He didn't speak in his sleep, but the slightly maniacal look on his face as he did sleep, one that reminded her so painfully of her own dark and bloody dreams, where flame surrounded her and melted off her skin… where his beautiful, yet deadly, ruby encrusted sword plunged through her chest, causing her to scream and writhe and cry in pain, frightened her more than anything. She had begun to dread the night… dread her time being with him, and now – _now_ that he was once again growing tired of being near her, she was being more thankful for the small moments of free time that she was actually allowed. Especially after her announcement was made.

He had been furious when she had returned to her chambers, but his anger had been so cold and calculated… his movements slow, deadly, and he had asked her one, simple, yet terrifying question that had caused her to take many steps away from him, towards her door because… because her heart had never beat as fast, and her hands had never become as slick and wet as they did in that moment.

_Do you value your life?_

Her body had ached afterwards… her tears had burned, and her throat had done raw, but there was nothing to be done – nothing that _could_ be done to keep her from being so brutally punished… her sides still hurt and she was almost certain that her throat still bore the bruises that his fingers had left when he pressed into her neck. She had apologized… she always apologized, but she was uncertain about how much more she could take. Naraku… he always made sure to hurt her where no one could see it… her chest, her ribs, her lower neck… always where others wouldn't be able to see it, wouldn't dare to _look._

She simply couldn't understand what she was doing _wrong._ She had allowed emotions to get in the way but – smiling softly, she pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, unsure of what exactly she could do to get him to stop. She had promised not to make him look bad, and, if she was being honest, she _hadn't._ All she had really done was say that a Noble had been murdered – she hadn't even stopped to see what the people's reaction was. But, honestly, she didn't _care_. So many people were telling her to move on – to stop being weak, and for the first time she found that she simply _couldn't._

Because his death was still burning within her, and as much as she wanted to forget, she realized that she couldn't. Because someone had murdered him – had done so to break her, to cause her _pain_ for simply being who she was, and they had _succeeded._ Knowing that she had fallen victim to their plan merely caused her anger to burn even more. Caused her to want to swallow up her grief, and just allow herself to be angry, if even for a moment.

But there were other things to worry about. Miroku had told her so. There was someone needed to be named Lord of the Western Territories, and even if she still was feeling grief and anger over her father's death, she simply couldn't allow others to suffer, despite her own suffering. They didn't _deserve_ it.

Shifting in her chair, she glanced at her husband, hoping upon hope that he didn't see her abrupt change in moods, or the fact that she had allowed herself to get lost in her own thoughts.

"Empress Yokoshima?"

Starting, she took her eyes off of her husband, noticing the way that everyone was watching her, with something akin to disdain, and she blushed slightly, hating the way she had allowed herself to be caught staring at – at _him._

"Yes?"

"Well," the man started, "have you named anyone to take control of the Western Territories?"

Kagome shook her head, her eyes closing slightly. "No, but I do have someone in mind, someone who is educated and well versed in the politics of our land, not to mention, I trust him a lot."

"You trust him?" Naraku asked from next to her, his voice only low enough for her to hear.

"Yes, I trust him a lot. More than I will ever trust you and…" Kagome trailed off, her eyes going unnaturally wide before she whirled away from him, her hand pressed to her mouth.

"Lady Yokoshima?" The man asked, prompting her on, but Kagome just couldn't find the words to comment. Her tongue felt heavy, her mouth dry, and she could feel the bile rising in the back of her throat, burning and stinging and causing _tears_ to form in her blue eyes. Her body trembled, her fingers clenching and digging into the skin around her mouth, and all she could think about was how she wanted to get away, how she wanted to be anywhere but _there_ next to _him_ and how she wished that, even if he had lost everything, that she had had the courage to say _no._

"I'm afraid," Naraku replied in a cold, pleased voice, "that she will not be able to answer your question at this point in time. You all are dismissed."

"But my Lord-"

"_Now._" He spoke, his voice low and thick, and she could see his fingers dancing along the hilt of his blade, and she could feel his eyes burning into the side of her face, just waiting for when they were gone so that he could _strike._ She could hear them, everyone, filing out, giving the two royals disgruntled looks at being so easily dismissed, and for a moment, Kagome wished that they _wouldn't_ leave. That, despite their lord's orders, they would stay, openly defying him because… because she was about to be hurt and she didn't _want_ to be.

The room was deathly silent, as the two sat still, his fingers gliding over the silver of his blade, his eyes trained on her as she trembled and cried and wished that she hadn't been so completely ignorant as to let her mouth run away with her. But, even now, she knew that she wasn't a lady, let alone, one that should allow herself to be walked on and… and she was so used to being disobedient, even now, she couldn't break that habit.

"You amuse me to no end, Kagome," Naraku said slowly, rising from his seat, his hair cascading down his shoulders elegantly. "You are extremely precious to those around you, and it would be a shame to lose you. And yet," he paused, his dark eyes glued to her crying form once again as a small, wicked smirk danced across his face, "you would look beautiful, nothing more than a lifeless, crying porcelain doll. I can break you easily, Kagome, I can make you suffer as no other person has every suffered before."

"_Please_," Kagome whispered, pulling her hands away from her mouth, "I-I didn't _mean –"_

"_Do you value your life_?"

Kagome's heart clenched, and her body began to shake with unsuppressed sobs as he asked her that question… the question that he always asked her before he was ready to hurt her. He always told her – he _always_ told her that he could make her suffer – that he could, and would break her. That he would cause her to wish for her own death but… but whenever he asked her that simple question, she could feel her barriers breaking, her heart clench and her throat tighten.

Because – because she was going to _die_.

She dreamt about it, whenever he was near. She dreamt about his saber, piercing through her flesh, hot and raw and _bleeding_ and just looking at him caused her to tremble and bile to rise in her throat. She saw it in his eyes, whenever his hands connected with her sides, whenever she cried out in pain – even as he _slept_ – she saw the desire to destroy her so completely in his eyes… and she didn't _understand._

Because she heard his words, no matter what she did, haunting her, terrorizing her, and she wanted nothing more than to get _out._

_You will die with me._

Her knees connected with the ground, fire burning through her body, and he lifted her, his fingers digging into her flesh.

"I could kill you this very instant," he whispered, pressing her into the sharp, cold steel of her throne, hearing the small tears of fabric against the sharp metal. "After all, it is your duty is it not? To die for me? To spill your _blood_ for me?"

"No," Kagome whimpered, her nails digging into the flesh of his arms, "I – I am _not_ my father."

Naraku's eyes flashed then, and almost immediately, Kagome could feel the cold sting of his hand across her face, again and again and again, and she could do nothing but remain still, allowing his hand to strike her, allowing herself to taste her own blood in her mouth because if she didn't then – then he would only hurt her _more_, and her body still _ached_ from the last time he hurt her… from the last time she allowed herself to struggle.

Moments passed as blinding pain assaulted her, as she continued to taste her own blood, wanting nothing more then to have the disgusting metallic taste die on her tongue, as the tears burned down her face, as she watched his anger slowly boil into nothing before he left her there, ignoring the stinging cuts that she had left on his flesh due to her pain. Moments passed, and she was by herself, sobbing, wishing for someone – _anyone_ – to come to her and to wipe her tears away, for someone to give her some way _out_ of this marriage that she had grown to hate so completely but there was no one and –

She could only rely on herself.

"Lady Kagome?"

Looking up, Kagome's eyes widened as she saw her advisors standing in front of her, each with dark, yet surprised looks in their eyes. And almost as soon as they saw her face, as they saw how listless and gray her eyes had become, their arms were wrapped around her, squeezing her tightly, and they were all whispering incoherent apologies to her, their eyes filled with unshed tears as well.

"You guys – it's – it's okay. I'll be _fine_," she whispered, clinging to all three girls.

"No," Yuka responded, holding onto her tightly, "no. He's never going to touch you again. He's going to pay for hurting you like this. I swear on my father's grave that he is going to _pay."_

* * *

The ink was cold as it spilled onto his already filthy clothes, and for a moment, Inuyasha could only remain silent, his ears pressed flat against his skull, his eyes narrowed, and his fingers twitching from time to time before letting out the loudest and longest string of curses that could, and probably would, put his entire family to shame. 

He was irritated… well; it would be safer to say that he was more than irritated. He was murderous. His clothes, which had been fresh and nice and _clean_ that morning, were now covered with ink stains, water stains, and bloodstains and it angered him, more than was probably necessary. It also didn't help that his so-called _master_ was quietly chuckling to himself, finding Inuyasha's predicament amusing.

"Keh," Inuyasha muttered, snapping his quill in half, and, once again, stabbing himself in the palm with it. He watched disinterestedly, as the blood trickled from his palm and onto his clothes, mixing in with the water stains, and ink stains, causing a chill to go up his spin as it seeped through the fabric of his clothes and trickled on his skin. Oh yes, he really felt like killing someone right now.

"Forgive me for asking this," Miroku started, twirling his quill around in his hands, "but those in the Southern Lands are educated, aren't they?"

"What the hell do you think we are? Stupid?" Inuyasha retorted, glaring at the inkbottle in his lap.

"Of course not," Miroku responded, waving his hand dismissively as he flipped through his texts, "what I meant to ask is if _you_ are educated. For someone as high in status as you are one would think-"

"Do you _want_ to die?" Inuyasha asked, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"Not precisely," Miroku responded with a rakish grin, "but of course, no one wishes to be murdered by a raving, ink covered half-demon who happens to take a sadistic sort of pleasure in stabbing his own hands." Miroku glanced at Inuyasha momentarily, cocking his head to the side as though asking him a silent question before flipping through his texts once again.

Silence reigned between the two men, as Miroku continued to write, glancing at his text from time to time, actually managing not to knock over the bottle of ink that was sitting extremely close to the end of the desk. But, of course, unlike Inuyasha, Miroku knew how to work around having his inkbottle not only close to the edge of the desk, but his writing hand, and Inuyasha felt inclined to kick his desk, if only to make him feel like an idiot as well. It was just as well, he would have to start using the ink that Miroku was using, seeing as to how he had no more on hand, and if he wasn't careful enough then maybe, just maybe he could manage to knock it over onto the nobles' nice clean clothes which were _not_ covered in ink and…

"Are you always so angry?" Miroku asked, screwing the top back onto the inkbottle as he realized Inuyasha was staring at it with a strange glint in his eyes. Inuyasha grunted, somewhat disappointed in the fact that his extremely petty revenge could not be upheld and slouched in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

"It's none of your business," Inuyasha responded gruffly, watching Miroku carefully. It had been the same yesterday, and the day before that, and, really, the entire routine was beginning to get on his nerves. Miroku would call him to his chambers, have him write, or at least attempt to do his studies with him, all the while distracting him by asking him extremely personal questions, especially when his concentration at his highest. There were times when he would falter, and accidentally give out information that didn't need to be said, but in the end, it wasn't extremely important. Not only that, Miroku was a little more than friendly. He seemed to find it extremely appropriate to tease the half-demon, and Inuyasha hated to admit it, but even after two days, he was beginning to enjoy being in the other boy's presence.

Today though – today Inuyasha had been a little more than distracted. He was sure Miroku was able to pick up on his behavior, if the ink and the blood was any indication, and as much as he hated to admit it, the other boy was beginning to get to know his moods fairly easily. Which was probably why he wasn't asking extremely personal questions either. But, if Inuyasha was correct, he was also aware that there was something that was bothering Miroku as well. He had been rather silent, only taking the time to glance at him once or twice, but mainly keeping his eyes on his text. And, although Inuyasha knew that he wasn't the most observant person in the world, he knew that Miroku wasn't exactly getting much done either. Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder if he was usually more studious than he was being that day.

"Inuyasha," Miroku started slowly, placing his quill in the spine of his text and closing it gently, "I do believe I know more about you than is really necessary, correct?" At Inuyasha's petulant nod, Miroku nodded, his eyes going dark. "Normally, others would have been willing to give away the fact that you are not supposed to be here. My father is already quite suspicious of everything that is going on, you do realize, and by keeping you with me at all times, he does believe that I am doing my job and making sure that you are not a spy."

"Is that so?" Inuyasha asked, his ears perking up slightly. He could tell, just from the tone of Miroku's voice that there was something important that he was building up to, something that he wanted him to know, regardless of whether or not he was a threat to their nation, to their leader, to their empress.

"Yes," Miroku responded, tapping his fingers against his chin in thought, "and, even though you haven't answered the more personal questions that I have asked you, I know that you are a threat, I just haven't pinpointed who, exactly, you are a threat _to._"

"And if I'm such a threat, why the hell are you telling me all of this?" Inuyasha leaned back in his chair, his arms folded across his chest, the expression on his face guarded, as if he were afraid of what Miroku was about to tell him, but anxious about the information as well.

"Because," Miroku started, folding the parchment that was stacked in front of him, "you are a threat that I openly welcome. I am already aware that you are from the South, and I am already aware that the North and the South might go to war. After all, my Emperor is quite ruthless and isn't exactly happy with just the Northern Lands. The Eastern Lands are falling weak, as we are both aware, and it would be a great victory to anyone who could obtain it. The Lord of the Western Lands doesn't exactly care about expansion, and it is known that his country, and yours, have been allies for a long while, due to their heritage, and if the South were to gain control of the Eastern Lands, they would have more influence throughout our Lands."

"That's pretty much our goal, yeah," Inuyasha said with a shrug, still slightly confused about _why_ Miroku would welcome him, knowing that, not only was he a spy, but if he were able to get away, then he would return to his homelands with so much information, the Northern Lands would be crushed if war were to occur. It was a slightly pleasing thought, seeing as to how his home country would be able to control much of the Lands that everyone, whether they liked it or not, was currently apart of.

"But, whether or not the South takes control of the Eastern Lands depends entirely on two people," Miroku said, his dark eyes scanning the room around them carefully. Whenever Miroku did take the time to question his 'servant' he always chose one of the most desolated areas in the castle. Apparently, there was a part of the castle that Inuyasha had not been made aware of, a place that, when he asked other servants about it, caused them to take in sharp hisses of breath and look at him suspiciously. He never knew that simply asking about a _castle_ could get such a cold reaction, which surprised him because they did live in the castle but… he couldn't help but think that they were being completely idiotic as well. But, truthfully, it wasn't his problem. If the Northerners wanted to act like idiots, he would allow them to. After all, he was only there for two reasons.

"Yeah? And who might that be?" Inuyasha asked after a moment of silence, not caring that he had allowed himself to get swept away with his thoughts.

"You, for starters, and Lord Yokoshima. Ultimately, it is up to him on whether or not we do go to war-"

"You know what, I really don't give a damn. I was sent here because it was rumored that your leader was supposed to get married. Not to mention, we heard rumors of something else that you worship, called a Djinni, and our leader wanted to know if it was true. Do those things really have mystical powers, or whatever the hell they do, and if so what the fuck are they? You already answered my first question, even though I don't know why you would, knowing that I'm an _enemy_. The second thing we came here for, is to find out whether your Emperor wanted the Eastern Lands or not… my people are already preparing for a fucking war, you know?"

Miroku nodded, his face grim, and already, he was beginning to pace back and forth across the room, which was something that Inuyasha couldn't help but find extremely odd. Remaining in his seat, Inuyasha remembered that he actually had been ready to _tell_ him something, which Miroku must have found important. But, more so, if he knew that he was an enemy, why was he giving out so much information? He had stated that Inuyasha was a welcome threat, one that he wouldn't stop, but it was apparent that his father didn't see him as such. What confused Inuyasha even more was the fact that, if Miroku was welcoming him, then he must have felt some ill will towards someone. And, if allowing him to leave was the only thing that _ensured_ a war, and the downfall of the Northern Lands, then why the hell was he allowing it?

Inuyasha was a little bit more than suspicious but… Miroku didn't seem the type to be deceitful. Of course, he couldn't just believe the other boy, after all, he was the enemy, and he _could_ be trying to bait him, whether it be through deceit or manipulation, but so far, he hadn't had any trouble with anyone in the castle. None of the guards had detained him and… frowning, Inuyasha flattened his ears against his skull, baring his fangs slightly. He knew that he shouldn't trust Miroku, but he did and he couldn't help it. If Miroku did have some hidden agenda, Inuyasha would be sure to learn of it, and when he did, he would rip him apart, limb from limb. But for now – now there was no choice but to trust him and to listen to everything that was said, after all, even if the information was faulty, he still needed to get his own, and it would help him in the end.

Miroku was the general's son, of course, and wherever Miroku went, Inuyasha would be forced to follow. All he had to do was manipulate Miroku into letting him _see_ the way the warriors trained, that way, he could find their weaknesses. Because, knowing his brother, even if he didn't make it out of this castle alive, there was going to be a war, whether the Northern Lands wanted it or not.

"You said I was a threat, right?" Inuyasha asked, a wicked glint in his eyes.

Miroku paused in his pacing, looking towards the half-demon curiously, before giving him a brisk nod, somewhat disoriented from the thousands of thoughts dancing around in his head. "But a welcome one."

"So let me get this straight, you think I'm threat, and yet you welcome me, knowing that if I leave here, there will be a full scale war going on, and the chance that your country will get crushed. Do you want to die?" Inuyasha asked, repeating his earlier question, but meaning it in an entirely different way as his fangs poked into his bottom lip, regarding Inuyasha with suspicion.

"No one wishes to die," Miroku answered, perching himself next to the small window within the room, "I do however, wish for someone to die, and for justice to be served. If you leave, and our secrets get out, there is the chance that the death will be possible. At this moment, I cannot go and get the revenge that is needed, or wanted, because I am being watched as well, along with many other of the nobles, because of Lord Higurashi's death. If I am being watched, then I can't kill, now can I? But death during war… it is inevitable. You are here for the downfall of this country, I want this country to fall."

"You don't want the fucking country to fall," Inuyasha said, understanding dawning on his face, "you want its leader to."

Miroku smiled grimly.

* * *

"I am afraid for her," Ayumi whispered, pressing her fingers into her temples, ignoring the slightly startled look that her sister's gave her for speaking. It had been startling, to hear her soft, quiet voice in the deafening silence, but they knew that _someone_ had wanted to say something, to get their feelings out in the open, and it was all right that she had been one the say it. "I'm afraid that if we don't work fast enough, she will get hurt more than is needed." 

"She's been getting hurt though, ever since she was forced into marrying him," Erri said quietly, her fingers gripping the fabric of her dress tightly, "I thought that it was just rumors… that they didn't mean anything, but they did. I suppose I should have listened to the rumors a bit more closely."

Yuka glanced at her sister sympathetically, knowing the grief and guilt she was feeling at having left her Empress alone. Gently, she placed a hand atop Erri's hand, and squeezed it tightly, just allowing her to know that she was there, and she always would be.

"Yeah, but now – now there is going to be someone to protect her, and she can't get hurt any longer, right?" Ayumi asked, glancing at her two sisters nervously.

"We're just women Ayumi," Erri said despondently, feeling oddly subdued, "we can't do anything against him. He's a man and we – we just advise the Empress. How are we supposed to protect her?"

"My God Erri," Yuka said, pulling away from her older sister, "you are so depressing sometimes. Yes, we are just women, but that bastard is going to pay for putting his hands on her. Trust me on this, all right? And then, Lady Kagome is going to be _free_ of him, and she won't have to worry about getting hurt any longer."

"Right, Yuka," Erri said with a wave of her hand, "how exactly do you expect to do that? We are just _women_; we were never taught how to fight, or to defend ourselves. We were raised to look pretty and –"

"Remember when I was in Lord Higurashi's bed chambers earlier?" Yuka interrupted, crossing her arms over her chest, suddenly forgetting that she was only sad and remorseful a moment ago. Erri nodded, and almost at once, Ayumi walked to the door and glanced down the hall, checking to see if anyone had passed, and then, as if satisfied with her reconnaissance, she shut the door quietly, turning towards her sisters, almost eagerly.

"Yes, well, Lord Miroku and Governess Kaede were the ones that sent me and Ayumi there. They were going to send you there with us as well, but when we had run into him, it was only Ayumi and I, and I thought it would be best if at least one of us were there, taking care of her. That way, it wouldn't raise suspicion. Lord Miroku and Lady Kaede agreed that it would be best, and they said that we could fill you in on the details and… well… basically, they have a plan. I don't know exactly where the hostilities arose, but they are there, and those two most definitely want to go through with it."

Erri blinked, surprised at what they were telling her before shrugging her shoulders, still a little confused. "Right, so, what does that have to do with you pillaging through Lord Higurashi's chambers?"

Yuka huffed, tugging on her bangs as she paced back and forth across the room. "I was not pillaging, besides, it makes me sound like some sort of thief. I was _searching._ Apparently, they believe that there is something that Lord Higurashi found that could have Emperor Yokoshima taken off of the throne, and given to someone else. They don't know what it is exactly, but they do believe that is the reason for his death. And, of course, both of them are extremely fond of Lady Kagome…"

"Wait," Erri said holding out a hand, "you don't mean to tell me that they plan to _overthrow_ the Emperor, do you?"

Ayumi giggled, shaking her head slowly, and Yuka let out an exasperated sigh pressing her fingers against her temples. "God Erri, you are so _slow_ sometimes. No, they aren't trying to overthrow him. But, think about it. Lord Higurashi finds something that could have the Yokoshima's taken off of the throne, which, of course, they have dominated for the past fifty years. The Yokoshima's want to stay in power… power is very important. So when a certain Yokoshima finds out that it is possible he won't be granted the throne –"

"He kills the person that can take over the throne," Erri responded, her eyes wide.

"Exactly."

"Oh my goodness," Erri whispered, staring at her sister's in shock. She absolutely couldn't believe a single word that she was hearing. At first, she didn't want to be inclined to believe them. She heard what they were saying, but when Yuka pieced everything together… she simply couldn't believe it.

"So when they do find this information… whatever it is, then what happens?"

"Well," Ayumi said, fidgeting slightly, "even the Emperor isn't above the laws of the land. And, well, when Lady Kagome finds out the truth then… she is even holier than he is, and if she wishes for it, so be it."

"But her _duties_," Erri said, shaking her head sadly, "even if she does find out the truth, she will still be forced to die for him, or with him, because she can't break off a marriage, only through death."

"Which," Yuka said as she sat down next to her sister, turning to stare out the window, "is why he has a back-up plan."

"And what exactly is this back-up plan?" Erri asked, looking back and forth between Yuka and Ayumi. Ayumi merely smiled softly, watching her sisters as they conversed, willing just to stand by the door, and wait to hear if someone was walking down the hall, or could hear their conversation.

If anyone were to learn that they were planning on deceiving their Emperor… that they were planning on committing a crime, on account of their Empress, who was hurting, and being hurt, despite her beautiful, innocent nature, it was possible that they would be executed, and absolutely no one in this room wanted to risk that. They had already lost so much, as many of the other people in the castle had, and if they were to lose each other… it was dangerous, but Ayumi was willing to risk it. All they needed to do was be tight-lipped about it, and everything would be all right. It didn't matter if they got caught after it was all said and done, conspiring to have the Emperor killed because, in the end, Lady Kagome _wouldn't_ be killed, and that was all that mattered.

"Right," Erri said, looking back and forth between her sister, and in that instance, Ayumi knew that her thoughts were running along the same track that hers had been, "So, what exactly is this back-up plan?"

Yuka turned to her sister, a small genuine smile on her face.

"Inuyasha."


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Through the Eyes of An Innocent**

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

The purge was not something that Miroku had wanted to think about. But in that moment, when his father had faced him, looked him straight in the eyes and told him that was going to have to carry on his legacy, he did remember overhearing that conversation, that small little divulgence into temptation, and it bothered him. Carry on his legacy, he had told him. And, not surprisingly, thinking of the purge, as he found it necessary to deem it, made him think of Kagome. 

He was trying his hardest not to, trying his hardest to focus on what needed to be done and how to go about searching into what had truly happened to Lord Higurashi, but as he looked into the eyes of his father, he could not help but think about Kagome and her the pain she was forced to suffer through. Erri, Ayumi, and Yuka had not been able to sugar coat everything that they had witnessed, and it angered him to think of what could possibly drive his Emperor to go about committing such heinous acts to his wife, _Kagome_ no less, who had been his closest _friend_ in a previous life, but seemed to be nothing but a burden.

The thought caused his hackles to raise, and he didn't like it. He liked to think that he was more in control of his emotions, after all, if he were to give into the fact that he couldn't handle them, especially when it came to his best friend, that would only lead to _his _death as well as _hers_.

And, surprisingly, it didn't frighten him.

There were times when he had wanted it to, when he believed that it _could_, but, ultimately, it didn't matter. He would die for that girl. He would give his very life for her. At first, the thought had seemed foreign to him, but the more he thought about it, the easier it was for him to accept the fact that he cared for this girl, more than anyone else he had the decency to come across, and he hated the fact that he couldn't do something to help get rid of her pain. The images of the Emperor's hands being stained with Kagome's blood caused his stomach to twist and churn, most unpleasantly, but somehow, he managed to quell the urge to empty his stomach of it's less than attractive contents.

As hard as it was to fathom the fact that a man - Miroku managed to suppress a dark chuckle at the thought of his Emperor truly being a man, after all, even though Kagome was just a woman, women were supposed to be treated delicately, gently. Men were able to be destroyed. Men were breakable. And if that were the case, women were even more fragile, and even at the slightest touch, they could be completely destroyed.

Naraku was no man. But then, at the same time, Kagome was more than a woman.

She wept, like some women would, being forced to deal with that pain, with that agony. Being forced to live day after day knowing that she would forever live with someone who hated her, someone who wanted her life to be completely wiped from the face of the earth. Someone who, however powerful, was nothing more than a coward that wanted others to suffer and weep and feel breakable and unable to defend themselves, just because he _could._

Miroku's eyes darkened in disgust, and his father prodded him impatiently.

He turned towards the older man, looked dispassionately at his greying hair and wondered why he had to deal with this. He already had so much on his plate, so much that he was forcing himself into. The deciet... the betrayal... and now his father wanted him to take his place as general. Now his father wanted him to start training the way he had when he was just past his seventh summer... Miroku shook his head solemnly.

"I'm afraid I must decline," he said, respectfully bowing his head. His father frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"You wish to decline your duty to protect this country?" Miroku could see, quite clearly where this was headed, and for a moment, he wanted to reassure his father that, yes, he wanted to protect his country, but risking his life for someone other than himself, his best friend... that was something he did not want to do. Kagome was the only one who deserved it, and as naive and illogical as it was, he knew that he would follow her blindly. It was hindsight on his part, but he didn't care. He had a goal, an obligation, and he would be damned if he was forcefully ripped away from it the way others in her life were.

"It was not my intent to offend you," Miroku said quietly, recognizing the dangerous territory in which he leading himself into. "But I do not wish to be a part of a legacy that condones the death of... defenseless peasants, slaves, women, _and_ children."

The sting was quick and deliberate, exactly the way he had intended it to be, and his father's anger was showing through the easy facade that he was usually wearing, just as he, himself, had learned to perfect.

"You know nothing of what you speak," his father bit out angrily through clenched teeth. "You don't know what they were planning, what they had planned to do to our Emperor."

Sighing softly, Miroku shot a quick glance over his father's shoulder, towards his 'servant' who was doing a rather bad job of pretending not to listen to what was being said. Miroku couldn't help but shake his head at the way Inuyasha was watching them so intently, as though looking for some vital piece of information, and the thought amused him to no end. Turning his attention back to his father, Miroku gave him a curious glance before rolling his shoulders.

"They were peasants. Defenseless. How could they has possibly gotten close enough to the Emperor to put him in any harm? Especially when he has many devoted servants and courtiers that would have been willing to risk their lives for him?"

The general scoffed in disgust.

"The _South_," he spat, shooting Inuyasha a nasty glare. "Those dirty Southern Demons needed to know that their influences couldn't make it into our pristine country. And the filth needed to be purged from existence. Lord Higurashi and I did this country a great service. Even Higurashi agreed with what happened."

Miroku brushed his bangs out of his eyes, sending Inuyasha a warning glare as the young foreigner started move towards his father threateningly, as though poised for attack. He knew that it wouldn't serve Inuyasha any purpose if he were to suddenly start attacking someone who was supposed to be an asset to the Northern Lands, especially if that Northerner was skilled in sword fighting and wouldn't hesitate to kill a defenseless servant, if his own hand in the destruction of women and children was any indication.

The thought disgusted Miroku, more than anything.

After all, if his father was capable to staining his blade with the blood of a child, what was to say that he didn't have some say in the death of his friend? The simple thought made Miroku's brow furrow slightly. It was true, he knew that the reason for Lord Higurashi's death had been for the thrown, but who was to say that it was the former Emperor or his son that had done the dirty deed? Even though he had his reservations, it still brought up many other possibilities. If his father was devoted enough to the country and it's ruler, than perhaps he would be devoted enough to take the life of one of the people that he held most dear to his heart. And yet...

And yet it still didn't seem right. His father wasn't quick to anger, wasn'tbrash,or impulsive.He was able to sit down and think things out logically. Would the death of Lord Higurashi be that beneficial to his stature? He enjoyed being the General of a great army, one that was currently planning it's battle tactic of taking over the Eastern Lands, a piece of territory that the South also wanted. At the moment, he wasn't entirely sure how negotiations with the new ruler of the Eastern Lands was going, but he knew that compensation for the land on both sides was incredible. So great that, in it's greed and need to be improved, the Eastern Lands could manipulate both of them into surrendering a great deal of money before bringing them to war. The thought amused Miroku to no end.

It would serve both leaders right if this did happen, but that was probably why everything was going so slowly. Normally, when rulers wanted land, they would run in and conquer it, but Emperor Yokoshima didn't want to destroy any lives if it was absolutely necessary to prevent it. His father had probably taught him that.

At that, Miroku laughed outright, causing his father to pin him with a wicked glare, threatening absolute humiliation if he continued.

"They are dogs, you know, dirty filthy _dogs_."

At that statement, Inuyasha's ears seemed to melt into his skull, and he growled darkly. Miroku was morbidly amused.

"I apologize about the fact that I disagree with you," Miroku said, needing a moment to think by himself, with no interruptions, "I do wish to carry on our... _legacy_," Miroku's eyes darkened in satisfaction at his father's slight recoil... it was almost like a slap to the face, that his own son didn't agree with his actions. "However, I believe in protecting those who are defenseless, not blindly murdering them. And that legacy, where our name is stained with blood, dishonor, and the screams ofchildren will end with me. Excuse me, _General_."

Miroku bowed his head respectfully, and motioned quickly to Inuyasha, who got up off the floor and followed him out the door. Once outside, Miroku could hear his father's frustrated growl, but he tried his hardest to ignore it. It was slightly painful for him, stepping away from his father the way he had, but it was necessary. Not only because of his own personal beliefs but... but if he didn't, he would be further distracted from everything that he had set out to do. He would be distracted from protecting Kagome in the only that he knew how.

Destroying Naraku.

It was the only thing he could do, since he knew that, ultimately, it was his fault that Kagome's pain had even begun. If he had allowed her father to live, perhaps Kagome wouldn't have felt so helpless. Perhaps, everything that she did wouldn't have been for nothing. Perhaps, she would have the will and the drive to move forward. And, perhaps, she wouldn't be left in the dark. Perhaps she wouldn't have a tainted name, the way he did, one that she knew nothing about. Perhaps she wouldn't be stained in death, grief, and blood, even more than she needed to be. But now, her very face was being stained with the very essence that Lord Higurashi had wanted to protect her from. Kagome wasn't the one that needed to repent for their sins, her father was. Miroku closed his eyes, rubbing his temples furiously.

Perhaps Lord Higurashi had repented for his sins, with his death. But even to Miroku that was not enough. He deserved to suffer the way that the peasants had suffered. He didn't want him to lose Kagome - god forbid he be forced to repent through her death, but he needed to know what it was like to feel pain. And maybe, with each scorching stab of pain, for everytime his blood had spilled from a raw, opened wound, he had suffered.

_But still, it was not enough._

Not enough. Never enough.

Was his father suffering now, knowing that his only son thought his acts dishonorable and weak? Did it make his heart bleed to know that he had lost what all of those peasants had lost, through the simple denial of a request? _Carry on our legacy..._ It wasn't bloody enough, it wasn't brutal enough, and Miroku was surprised to realize that he had wanted his father to feel that searing, horrible pain that all of those peasants were forced to face with each piercing of an arrow. Each slice of a blade. Each scorch of a flame.

He could still remember seeing the smoke drifting across the sky, not knowing why it was happening. He could still remember waking up to screams that seemed to echo across the sky. Screams that were not his own. He had been so young then; he had not understood what it was. And it made him think, angrily, of how blackened his own hands were, for allowing the innocent to suffer. It was true, he was too young then to do anything about it, but _still._ His father had helped purge to town of it's innocence. He had helped blacken it, making it nothing more than ash that wanted to scatter away on the wind, but couldn't, since it was enveloped in a dry, fierce brutality. It couldn't even bring itself to weep anymore, and when it did, it was because it had wanted to be stronger, it was because it should have been smarter and should have _known_ better than to whisper words in it's defense.

And with a sickening sort of dread, Miroku realized that he was just like his father.

Because he, too, was allowing the innocence to be purged from his life, from the lives of others.

And by standing idly by, by worrying about figuring out who had killed Lord Higurashi, by trying to find the documents which proved that the Higurashi's were the ones that had supreme rule over the throne... that Kagome should truly be the one in charge, he was allowing an Innocence to be tainted... to be turned into ash.

_And here, I wanted nothing more but to protect it. But all I'm truly doing is protecting myself._

Slowly, he came to a stop, and he gazed out of the castle window, looking out across the ugly city that surrounded the castle. There was no more innocence out there, not any longer. It used to be there, used to flourish and be beautiful and... and he had been so blinded by the flourish of wicked beauty within the castle that he had completely ignored it. It disgusted him, more than anything.

It really did look like ash, dull and gray, and the only thing that was even remotely beautiful within the castle was it's own wickedness... and an innocence that was quickly diminishing.

_Kagome._

Miroku chuckled darkly; he truly was a fool.

But then everyone within the castle was a fool, because they all thought of nothing but themselves.

"The hell are you laughin' at?" Inuyasha asked, scowling darkly. Miroku looked at him and tilted his head in amusement.

"When you look at this city, what do you see?"

Inuyasha blinked, obviously thrown off guard by what Miroku had said, but quickly regained his composure and furrowed his brows.

"Blood," came the simple, gruff answer, and Miroku nodded his head in agreement.

"I see ash," Miroku answered slowly. "I see death."

Inuyasha gave Miroku a feral grin.

"Well you all are gonna rot in hell once my brother's done with your sorry asses."

Miroku said nothing at that, just nodded his agreement.

_Yes, we are. It's time we began to repent for our sins._

* * *

She was supposed to be angry. She was supposed to filled with a foreboding dread. With grief and anger, spite for not being able to truly accomplish what it was that sent out to do. Destroy the Higurashi's. But that had been taken away from her; she had been stripped of her opportune moment, and instead, was left with what was supposed to anger and grief, hatred for not being able to exact her revenge. 

She was supposed to be _angry._

But instead of anger, all that was apparent was this deep, welling resignation, a feeling that made Sango uneasy and doubtful of her position in that household. She was supposed to teach them how to fight... and in doing so, ultimately, how to murder. The thought had made her queasy at first, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she would have wanted revenge if her family had been taken away from her, too. If she had lost her brother... her sole purpose in life would be to destroy the people that had taken him away. It was an easy concept to fall prey to. Vengeance was always brutally correct. Vengeance was something that everyone craved.

But seeing the resignation in the eyes of the beautiful woman in front of her made her uneasy beyond all belief. She couldn't even begin to attempt to understand what was going through Kikyou's mind... she didn't want to. But she knew that the wheels were turning in her head - she was thinking of something else to do that would replace the hurt and betrayal that she felt at not being able to destroy the life that had ultimately destroyed hers.

Glancing towards the others in the room, Sango wondered how she could have allowed herself to consort with these desperately vengeful people. It was all right to be driven by the thought of revenge... it meant that you were human. But to simply live by that code... to simply _be_ for the sake of revenge... the thought made Sango wish she could have taken back her rash actions and not haveconvinced Inuyasha to agree to help them.

At the time, she had been thinking of her brother. Of how it would have affected her if her brother had been the one that was lost. But now... now everything just seemed to be spiraling out of control. Kikyou, although calm and serene, was only wearing a mask. Behind the resignation in her eyes, Sango knew that there had to be a hint of anger, of despair. But the harder she looked, the harder it was to detect it, and instead, she turned to Kanna, who was watching Kikyou with a blank expression.

It was one that Sango was used to, since back at home, her own leader wore that same emotionless mask. But at the same time, she knew that it wasn't a mask, it wasn't something that they tried to hide behind. It was who they _were_. They felt emotions... they felt glee, anger, despair, but feeling it made them weak, and instead, they focused on the weakness of others to help them learn to how to bury them deep inside. And soon, they became the mask that they used to hide those emotions. Sango couldn't help but notice that Kikyou hadn't quite managed to master that technique yet.

She wanted to ask the white-haired girl what it was that was causing the other girl to fall into just a dumb silence. What it was that was causing her to wander around the house as though she had lost all purpose, all though she knew that she was formulating a plan in her head. It was one that would, most likely, be more extreme than the last one. But, this time, who was she going to destroy? Sango stole a glance at Kagura, at her horrid scars, and resisted the urge to murder herself.

She was frightened. More than anything.

Perhaps, just perhaps, she should have thought it out sooner, but it had been such a knee-jerk reaction that she hadn't been able to stop the fact that she wanted to be able to help those less fortunate than her. She wished that she had learned to be stronger, more brutal, like Inuyasha. He wouldn't just jump in to help people; he would tell them to deal with their own damn problems. He would tell them to " stop being a fucking weakling and deal with it". He would have kept the distance.

As though in pain, Sango glanced towards her boomerang which was propped innocently against the wall, and wondered what it was that she had done to deserve this. She wished that she would have gone with Inuyasha instead of staying here, in this stuffy little cottage with three girls who felt nothing but anger and violence, one boy who was doing just what he was told to do and had no perception of death or what it meant to kill someone - to stain his hands with blood, and one girl who didn't care whether she lived or died.

And, Sango couldn't help but wonder whether or not Kikyou knew what she was doing to the people around her. It certainly wasn't her fault but...

_Yes, it is, _Sango thought sadly, _it's all her fault because - because she can't control her own desires for revenge._

"Don't pity her," a voice in her ear whispered, and Sango started slightly. Next to her, the boy, Hojou was smiling gently, and Sango couldn't help but wonder why Kikyou would allow him to witness what she was going to do. "She doesn't like feeling pity, Miss Sango."

"Then - then _why_?"

Hojou looked at her then, sadly, with that same resignation that was reflected in Kikyou's eyes, and it made her tremble.

"Only Kagura can truly answer that," he said simply, sending the mute girl a remorseful glance.

"Well that's ironic," Sango said with a morbidly weak laugh. "Inuyasha would love to hear that. A mute... the only person who knows the answers to Kikyou's insani-"

"She's not insane, Miss Sango!" Hojou interjected, somewhat offended. "Just... just horribly scarred."

Sango nodded, giving the older girl a quiet glance before standing up slowly. She needed to get out - needed to get away. She couldn't handle dealing with all of these emotional grievances that were suddenly thrust upon her, especially since they would make her start to feel some of her own. If Kikyou felt so crazed because of something that Kagura did... well, Kanna must have felt some sort of torture. It was her own sister, after all, that had been the one to suffer. Sango just didn't see it as fair for someone to suffer... for someone who relied on speaking so much to suddenly lose that ability. Of course, Kagura spoke very well with her eyes, especially when she was annoyed.

Those crimson orbs were beautiful, always glistening with some emotion - an emotion that must have been pure torture not to be able to verbalize.

Sighing, Sango grabbed a cloak and her weapon and stepped outside, leaving everyone to contemplate what they were going to do next. On whose life they were going to destroy. And, the farther Sango moved away from the hut, into the dying city, the more she realized she wanted to get away from it.

Covering her head, she wandered through the town, watching as it went from famished and nearly dead, to hard-working and bloodied. The people looked stronger, and could have been healthier as she moved into the northern most part of the city, towards the castle, but their bodies were covered with bruises and lacerations. Sango shook her head in disgust.

This place was truly horrible.

And the Emperor needed to be crushed.

No one, absolutely no one deserved to suffer as these people... no one needed to be starving or beaten because of the fact that they worked to slow, or were too tired to be able to move.

Her stomach lurched violently at the sound of tearing flesh and suppressed whimper. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blood, but still, she continued walking through it, not wanting to throw up her insides.

She couldn't help but wonder if her home had ever been like this... reeking with blood and death, dirtied by the blood and sweat of slaves, but the yellowing bodies of peasants too poor and too weak to be able to build homes for themselves... and if they weren't, to bloody their hands just for the sole fact of having a place to live in, to survive from the bitter harsh cold that had currently descended upon the country. She had wondered, what if, what if, _what if..._

But that wasn't doing anything, and she wasn't getting anywhere.

Slowly to a stop, Sango looked back out towards the homes, having finally found a hill that wasn't covered with the blood of a society... that was beautiful and green and covered with beautiful dew that cooled her burning body when she touched it... and just stared. The town looked beautiful, pristine. Houses looked yellow, like straw, as beautiful as the sun, and it looked quiet, tranquil. But deep down, it was blackened by something unexplainable... something that Sango couldn't comprehend, even though she had a story from Kikyou herself.

_They killed their own people... spilled their own blood... my family was murdered before my very eyes... they made me soak in their blood..._

Tears of pain welled up in Sango's eyes, and she pushed them down quickly, not wanting anyone to see, despite being completely alone.

_She still cries sometimes... she wakes up screaming... she can't escape her need to see blood, to spill another's blood... the sight of blood pleases her... the sight of crimson makes her want to die... she deserves whatever punishment fate deals her - her insanity is only one sin that she has repented for..._

"But no one deserves that," Sango said quietly. "No one deserve to live life, only wanting death."

_"Kikyou's the reason Kagura is mute."_

_"Kikyou's the one who attacked Kagura? Why?"_

_"She didn't like her eyes..."_

_"That doesn't make sense..."_

_"She thought she deserved to die."_

"So many nightmares," Sango whispered, falling onto her back and staring up at the darkening sky, blinking slowly. "So many scars, so much blood." Sango sighed and turned her head back towards the town, wondering if punishment for those who had hurt everyone like that was truly enough. If death was.

Somehow, she didn't think it possible. And, somehow, she knew that was exactly what Kikyou was wondering. What it was she could do to make them truly suffer.

"But not for vengeance..." Sango whispered to herself. "Kikyou's chance for vengeance died along with Lord Higurashi. Now... now she's doing it just... just because she can."

Sango's stomach wrenched painfully, and she resisted the urge to get sick.

_And, maybe, because she wants to die, just as Kanna wants to die. Maybe she's tired of having to deal with the pain and suffering that living brings, just as Kagura tires of the suffering that she is forced to dream about. Maybe... maybe..._

"She lives to die."

_Just like everyone else in this blackened, tainted world._

* * *

The sky was dark, almost black, as the figure strode purposefully down the halls, his back straight, his chin tilted up regally, and his eyes challenging anyone that got in his way. This man had a purpose, a goal, an obligation, and he would not allow anyone to get in his way. Quickly, he walked through the halls, ignoring the guards that followed him just ensure his protection. He didn't need them anyways. 

He was more than skilled in every area of combat, and if, by chance, he somehow managed to die, another, just as powerful - although not as intelligent, he admitted with a quiet arrogance - would end up taking his place. But there wasn't a need to think about that, since of course, he was capable of taking care of himself. Of course, no one had managed to penetrate the palace walls since the rein of his father, and he was going to make sure that no one, absolutely no one, managed to slip through his fingers the way that they had slipped through his fathers.

Slowly, at the thought of his father, he glanced out the windows, at the clear black sky, and wondered how his father had managed to be so completely ignorant of the plan that was being hatched out before his very eyes. Of course, his father had always managed to remain oblivious to things he didn't want to see, even though he knew they were there... at the same time, he always managed to find a way to work it out while it was taking place. He was always good about having a plan before hand. Only, this time, he wasn't able to cheat death.

Somehow, the young king thought it was a very fitting end for someone who lived life by the seat of his pants and yet, managed to pre-plan everything at the same time.

Not that he had wanted his father to die, but he certainly didn't have much love for him.

The thought of love made him grimace, and almost at once, he was striding down his halls again and throwing the doors to his chambers open in annoyance.

"Jaken," he said, giving his advisor a quick glance.

"Yes my Lord?"

"Has there been any word from him?"

There was no question in the advisor's mind who he was speaking about, but he just barely managed to supress an insult aimed at the ruler's brother.

"No, my Lord, Prince Inuyasha has not sent any word of a safe arrival within the Northern Lands, nor has Lady Sango."

His master nodded slightly, before gazing towards the window. He was getting tired of waiting for a response from his brother, and he needed one quickly. Time was already growing short, and he knew that he was no longer going to be able to hold out on his negotiations with the Eastern Lands any longer. After a short moment of contemplation, he turned back towards his advisor, who had started to squirm slightly in the silence. It was never good when his Lord became silent, although he was silent all the time. But when he was silent after asking a question, and one that Jaken knew would not get a favorable answer... he was sincerly hoping that he would be able to leave the room with his limbs still connected to his body.

"Bring Lady Izayoi to my chambers," he replied flippantly, and then, as an after thought, he added, "And Kohaku."

"Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Immediately," he answered, ignoring the question completely. Jaken nodded his understanding of the statement, knowing that if he dwadled any longer than was necessary, he was most likely going to end up being decimated. After all, when his master was feeling annoyed, he always managed to use him as a punching bag... as did every other tenant of the castle. And of course it was completely unjustified but... they never really did a lot of harm to him just... a bruise or... twenty. Nodding and bowing once more, Jaken darted out of the room to go fetch the two requested people, leaving Sesshoumaru to his own thoughts.

He wasn't worried. On the contrary, he could never bring himself to worry about his insolent half-brother. Whenever someone brought it to his attention that he was, according to them, worrying about Inuyasha, he always found it necessary to quiet them by simply narrowing his eyes. He was better than that - he kept no attachments, not even within his own family. So Inuyasha was, by no standards, someone he particularly cared about.

He didn't rely on him much, either, and it bothered him to know that he was relying on him now. And that was something that he was beginning to find more and more of a mistake. Because all he had asked him to do was complete one simple little task and it seemed he couldn't even accomplish _that._ Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to growl. Inuyasha was truly useless. Worried, he was not. But irritated... irritated by the fact that he was being forced to _wait_ for some sort of affirmative... Sesshoumaru glared at the door to his chambers, willing Jaken to reappear with his summons.

He at least thought he could rely - Sesshoumaru almost smirked at the thought of the word - on Sango. She was by far more adept to following orders and completely a task. She wouldn't be the second in command of his soldiers if she wasn't. Rolling his shoulders, he continued pacing his room, wondering at his own idiocy.

He had been a complete fool to ask his brashly arrogant brother to go infiltrate the Northern Lands. A calculated risk on his part, but at the time, no one was willing to go aside from Inuyasha. But then again, no one was as good as fitting in as Inuyasha _was_ despite the fact that he... couldn't. Resisting the temptation to take his own claws to his throat, Sesshoumaru undressed, and began changing into his sleeping robes.

It was a nuisance, one that he couldn't afford, and it annoyed him, more than anything. But Inuyasha was a Prince to the Southern Lands, and even Sesshoumaru knew that Inuyasha was bound, just as strongly as he was, to his Lands and to his duty to protect them. Of course, that bond had only been obtained through the blood of their father, which had been shed unmercifully and quite ignorantly. Sesshoumaru's shoulders tensed at the thought. It had been a fools errand, attempting to murder the late King, but it was an attempt that was successful. It was just a shame that the murderer didn't have the intelligence enough to realize that theInutaishou had sons - well, _a_ son - who was more powerful then his father and his mother combined. They hadn't thought that he had a son who was more intelligent, quicker, smarter.

It still angered Sesshoumaru to know that Inuyasha had been the one to land the fatal blow. But of course, that was the only taste of glory that he was allowed to have. Afterwards, even though the fight for the throne had been violent and bloody, Sesshoumaru had been the victor. Which was something of a relief to the entire country, for Inuyasha was far too young and too naive to be able to run a country successfully. Slipping his robe over his shoulders, he fastened it closed, before turning back towards the door to listen for the knock.

Sure enough, it came, and Sesshoumaru called for them to enter.

Kohaku kneeled, obediently, in front of his ruler, and Izayoi bowed her head respectfully.

"You summoned, My Lord?" Izayoi asked, motioning for Kohaku to stand. The boy did, albeit reluctantly, and he moved closer to the older woman, attempting to keep Sesshoumaru's piercing gaze off of him.

"Inuyasha-"

"Has not sent any notice to me of his arrival within the Northern Lands. I'm sorry, my Lord," Izayoi replied, bowing her head, once again, in respect. She brought her hand to rest on Kohaku's shoulder and nudged him forward, giving him a small smile of kindness.

"My sister hasn't sent me anything either," he said in a quiet voice, and almost immediately backed up into Izayoi, seeking her kind maternal warmth once again. Sesshoumaru gave them a short nod, one that was barely noticeable, and Izayoi bowed her head again while motioning for Kohaku to bow.

"Is that all my Lord?"

"No," Sesshoumaru responded, moving around his room gracefully, not sparing either of them a glance. "If you do not recieve word from my half-brother -" at Izayoi's sudden clearing of his throat, he resisted the urge to growl in annoyance, " _Inuyasha_ or Sango within a fortnight we shall begin to prepare for battle. Kohaku, you will work with Jaken to assemble my army. Then you shall accompany Izayoi to the Eastern Lands and protect her while she attempts to quicken the negotiations."

Sesshoumaru paused for a moment, as though contemplating what else needed to be said, and Kohaku gave Izayoi a quick glance.

"How long will my visit to be, My Lord?" Izayoi asked, that kind gentle smile replaced with seriousness.

"Five days. If there is a representative from the Northern Lands residing within the castle-"

"I understand, My Lord," Izayoi said, cutting him off abruptly, "and it is for that reason that I request to also have the company of Jaken... _if_ it should come to that."

"Very well," Sesshoumaru said, turning his back to her to stare out the the darkening sky. "You are dismissed."

Izayoi nodded, but instead of following Kohaku out of the room, she turned to her stepson, watching him carefully. His shoulders were tensed, and he was on high alert, as usual. She could never think of a time when he wasn't aware of everything that went on around him. Closing the door behind Kohaku, she turned back towards her stepson, and watched him for a moment, enjoying the silence. There was rarely a time when he would allow her to be in his presence more than was necessary, and despite his cold exterior, she wanted to believe that he, sometimes, enjoyed it, too.

"Lady Izayoi."

"I do not wish to start a war, My Lord. I also do not think it's appropiate for Kohaku to be subjected to that violence at such a young age."

"Kohaku is capable of protecting you, Lady Izayoi. And despite his age, he is also capable of killing in cold blood." Izayoi bristled at his flippant comment, and she wanted to open her mouth, wanted to tell him that he was _wrong_, but before she had the chance to say anything, he had turned towards her, his piercing gaze silencing any protest that she may have been about to give. "Kohaku is a human child, only thirteen winters, however he has already experienced killing for the joy of it. If you were to tell him to murder for the sake of his country, he would consent."

"His sister would not."

"Unfortunately for Sango, I am the one who rules this country, not she. If I believe Kohaku is ready to spill blood for his country, then he is ready. You are dismissed, Lady Izayoi."

Izayoi sighed, not wanting to push the matter any further, for her step-son was ruthless when he truly wanted to be. It still bothered her though, to know that he would just blindly throw someone's childhood away. Of course, he would disagree with that fact but... but she couldn't help but wonder.

"Jaken will handle it, Lady Izayoi," Sesshoumaru said quietly, "Jaken shall be the one to shed the blood of another. If your life comes into danger, then and only then, will Kohaku be forced to leave his childhood behind. Do not doubt my orders again. You are dismissed."

Izayoi nodded this time, and left, because, despite how distant his reply had been, she knew that he only thought of Kohaku kindly. Sango was his brother's best friend, although Inuyasha would never admit that. Comrades, Inuyasha would say. Allies. But they did care about one another, they were family. Izayoi turned and left, confident in the fact that things would go as Sesshoumaru believed they would. If there was a representive present during the negotiations, the body that arrived back in the Northern Lands would be dead. And burned right into the decaying flesh of that rotting corpse would be their insignia, their crest. And accompanying that announcement would be one, simple terrifying little word.

_War._

And that was something that Izayoi was hoping to avoid at all costs.

* * *

Kagome's arm ached as Miroku tugged her away from her husband, ignoring the sharp glare that was sent directly to him. But with everyone around, he knew that there was nothing that could be done about it. And for that, Kagome was grateful. The most that would happen would be the whispers, the gossip, that the Empress was allowing someone lower in rank than she was to pull her around as though he owned her. And the only person who was allowed to own her was her husband. 

That was why everyone ignored her tears, her bruises, her cuts. Because he owned her. Because she was just a thing, just a _woman_ and if she refused to act like a woman, then there was no reason for her to be treated like one. Kagome's insides twisted slightly and she signaled to Erri, Ayumi, and Yuka to follow her, just in case Naraku got the wrong impression. Which, she knew, when Miroku finally released her, he probably would. When night fell and the stars were dancing across the sky, she knew that, most definitely, something was going to happen, and the cold air was going to sting her already oozing wounds and cause tears of pain to slip down her face. Tears that he enjoyed seeing, no matter what the reason.

She had learned to stop screaming. It didn't help anything, or make it any better. Instead... instead it made it worse because he hated the silence, almost as much as he hated the noise. It caused tears to spring to her eyes when she thought about it, because she had had a purpose once. A goal. A destination. But now - now it just seemed to slip away into oblivion with each brutal stab of pain that he offered her. Physical pain in replacement of emotional pain. But this hurt, too, and Kagome only wished that she had enough to fight back instead of cowering away like she normally did. She remembered a time when she used to be stronger than this - more defiant than this. But that was gone, just like all of her dreams, all of her little indulgent fantasies. And she hated herself for it. She had wanted something else, something better, and she had thought that, maybe, she would have something better.

But her father had lied to her, just like everyone else. _A good, noble man,_ he had called him. _A coward, evil, hateful, wicked demon. _Those were qualities that he had left out. _Cold, heartless... black._ _Bloody. Angry._ Kagome rubbed her arm gently when Miroku finally released it, and still, she followed him, her advisors keeping just as close to her. She didn't really care where they were going, just as long as it was away from him. Just as long as it allowed her to keep away from that suffocating blackness - that evil, wicked darkness. Because whenever she was around him, she found it hard to breathe. Whenever she was around him, she found it hard to be strong; she never had the will to live. Whenever she was around him she was -

Destined to die.

_"You will die with me."_

The sparks of passion were hot on her back, and almost instinctively, she pulled back, her eyes wide as she watched the flames explode all around her, causing her flesh to bubble and burn. Her flesh felt hot and waxy, and she pulled in on herself, wanting to stay safe, wanting to be protected. But then, she could feel the cool harsh point of a blade press against her burning clothes, and she could see his red eyes staring back at her, glimmering with hate. Glimmering with hunger. She had wanted to scream, had tried to scream, but she could remember the metallic taste of blood on her tongue, the cold sting of his slap across her face and... she remembered her tears. Her silence. Her _acceptance._

_"I accept my fate,"_ she whispered, gripping the blade in her hands roughly, feeling the cold bite of the steel piercing through the flesh on her hands. She could smell the blood burning, along with her clothes, her flesh, and her tears. He watched, mesmerized, as she pulled the blade from his hands, slowly digging it into her own flesh, feeling the blood beading at the tip.

_It hurts, oh gods it hurts,_ her mind screamed, but still she remained silent, her tears the only indication of her weakness, of her vulnerability to the pain. Flesh ripped and tore, melted, and the pain reminded her that she was human. Reminded her of what she went through. _I want this to end. Please, oh please, just let it _end.

_"I will die for you,"_ she whispered, and suddenly, the blade was tearing through her flesh, ripping through her ribs, and her eyes turned glassy, unseeing. Her body toppled over, the flames around her distinguished, and he stood over her, his eyes glimmering with victory. Slowly, arrogantly, he walked over to her lifeless body and grabbed the hilt of his sword, plunging it further into her body until he heard the satisfying crunch of bones and the ripping of flesh and fabric. His eyes glimmered maniacally, and he looked out at all around him, pulling it from her chest, watching in awe as her blood dripped from his sword dripped with blood. Tainted blood.

_Black_ blood.

_Black blood, black blood, black blood._

"It's not stupposed to be black! It's all wrong! It's all wrong!"

Kagome screamed.

* * *

_"I've decided."_

_"Decided on what?"_

_"On who will be the one to repent for his sins."_

_"Oh? And who will that be?"_

_"His daughter."_

_"You still wish for nothing but revenge."_

_"I wish for a chance to breathe."_

_"But others will still suffer... why must she suffer just to repent for her father's sins?"_

_"Because."_

_"Because why?"_

_"She's truly ugly inside." _

* * *

_"Are you ready to go?"_

_"Yes, My Lady."_

_"Very well, let's be off then."_

_"My Lady?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"I'm not afraid of war. I'm not afraid to kill."_

_"Why - why would you say something like that?"_

_"I'm not afraid to die, either."_

_"I don't - I don't understand."_

_"Nothing really scares me anymore, except for My Lord's eyes. What he expects of me."_

_"And what frightens you?"_

_"Failure."_

* * *

_"I don't think you understand," he said, pining her against the wall. She felt the cool touch of stones against her back and tried her hardest not shiver. If she did, he would immediately be drawn into her fear, taste it, touch it, yearn for it. His eyes glistened as he leaned down closer to her, felt the press of her body against his, and she knew that he was craving her. That he was wanting her, and the thought made her sick. His fingers circled around her wrists, bruisingly, painfully, but still she managed to keep her face expressionless, despite the pain. _

_"I - I try to," she whispered, dropping her eyes from that cool, wicked crimson stare. She could feel him smile against her skin, could sense the satisfaction in words, could sense the pleasure and victory that he yearned so much for just barely grazing his fingertips. And it frightened her. Ached within her. _

_She didn't want to die._

_"They weren't after me," he said, pulling away from her slowly. "They wanted you to die."_

_Something within her clenched, painfully, and she jerked away from him, her eyes wide in shock. Disbelief. Because - because it just wasn't true. There was absolutely no way - no _way_ - that they could want her dead. She had never done them a disservice, she had never hurt them, make them bleed. _

_It was a lie._

_"No," she whispered, shaking her head, "No! I've never - I couldn't - it wasn't..."_

_"Do you doubt my words?" He asked, throwing her back into the wall, causing a small whimper of pain to escape her lips. He could see the tears, loved them, and once again, he was pressing her roughly into the wall, smiling a cold, pleased smile as her teeth sunk into her lip, as her eyes clenched tightly shut and tears streamed down her beautifully soft skin. He waited for her to answer, as he usually did, but when nothing came, he chuckled darkly. _

_He pressed closer to her, felt her tiny warm body against his, and he lowered his lips to her cheeks, pressed a cruel mocking kiss to her tears. He felt her shudder, deliciously, and he knew that he had won. He knew that she submitted._

_"It was your father," he continued on, so quietly that she could barely hear him. "Your father, a man. A noble." He allowed a small harsh laugh escape his lips, and suddenly, she was being dragged away from the wall, and thrown against the window. His hands gripped the sides of her face roughly, forced her to stare over the land, forced her to see something she had been forbidden to ever see. To ever experience. _

A murderer.

_The words rang clear in the silence, and she could feel her tears springing to her eyes. _

_Yes she knew. She had always known. _He_ had told her; _he _had been viciously cruel enough to let her know the truth. To refuse to allow her to be naive anymore. But she hadn't believed _him _either. But now... _now_ as she looked across the expanse of her dying country, as she heard the heartwrenching screams of pain, as she saw the smoke rise dangerously into the air as her country was purged of every innocent little thing, she _knew.

_She could feel his breath against her ear, could feel the cruel cold touch of his smile upon his face, and she knew that she had lost. She knew that she would continue to lose, no matter what happened. She knew that, now and forever, she was his._

_And she hated it._

_"This is your legacy," he whispered, his fingers digging roughly into the sides of her face. "This burning, dying country is _your _legacy. Your history. The stain of blood is now on your hands as it was once on your fathers. An Innocent sent to protect Innocents can only destroy them."_

_Her hands trembled at his words; her throat constricted painfully and she could feel the tears spilling down her face, blinding her, causing her eyes to sting. Because it was a _lie._ She was no innocent. She was no savior. No matter what anyone had told her it just. wasn't. true. And she wouldn't allow it to be. _

_"I _hate_ you," she whispered, hating the way her body trembled. His hands slid away from her face, to her shoulders, and laced through her hair, roughly. Painfully. Angrily. _

_"Good," he said, and pushed away from her, leaving her standing near the window, forcing her to stare over the carnage and destruction that was consuming her home. She could still feel the tears, could taste them, along with the blood. The destruction. And it frightened her, just like everything else. And, just like everything else, she hated it, almost as much as she hated herself. Because if it hadn't have been for her... none of this wouldbe happening. People would have been happy. Alive. Hot tears blinded her vision, and she sunk to the ground, burying her face in her hands. It was all her fault; no matter what she did anymore, it was always going to be her fault._

_She wanted to die._

_

* * *

_

Black blood. Black blood. Black blood.

She wanted it to be red. Needed it to be red. Yearned for it to be red.

Yearned to be human.

Slowly, she wiped the sweat from her brow, and continued walking, her body trembling horribly. She had seen it, had heard it, had _tasted_ it, that horribly cruel fear, and it had wrapped his sharp talons around her heart and plunged her into the icy cool waters of despair. She had wanted to escape. Needed to. But it had held her there, it had forced her to see things that she had never wanted to see - her own death, the desire for her own death, the fear of failure and - and...

Kagome's stomach lurched painfully at that last bitter image, refusing to believe what it had shone her. What it had told her. She knew that there would be death. She knew that there would be failure, atonement. But that...

"No," she whispered to herself, shaking her head, "It's not true. It's not true. My father is not a murderer. He's not, he's not, he's _not!_"

Tears began to stream down her face, and, slowly, she leaned against the wall, pressing her face into cool stone. She would not allow herself to believe that. Just because she had seen it, just because she had dreamt it did not mean that it was true. It was a _lie._ She knew her father, and her father was not cruel. He could never be cruel, could never kill needlessly. He did what was necessary. Killing was not it.

Struggling against the torment in her mind, Kagome shifted and slid down the wall, struggling to remain strong. Struggling to remain in control. Because the closer she moved towards them, the more the dreams threatened to assualt her mind. The more they threatened to take over her, threatened to bring her to silence. Threatened to make her _see._

Trembling, Kagome fought against it, and stood shakily to her feet, attempting to overcome it.

_Flames, hot and bright surrounded her, burning her, causing her flesh to bubble and blister and bleed. The scent of burning flesh reached her, causing her to gag, and she could hear her own screams resonating within her ears, reminding her that she was going to die._

_"You have to die with me..."_

"No!" Kagome screamed, throwing herself back into the wall. Her head cracked loudly against the wall, and stars exploded in front of her eyes, making her head feel light, causing her stomach to churn painfully.

It had to stop. She was stronger than this. She could be stronger than this.

Willing the pain to go away, Kagome rubbed the back of her head gingerly. She stood shakily, and once again, she continued down the corridor, needing to reach them. She could hear them calling to her, she could feel them beckoning her towards them with their cool, soothing voices. She could feel their hands on her back, pushing her closer and closer, comforting her.

_This is your legacy..._

_No_, her mind whispered, _that's a lie. It's not_. Her fingers pressed greedily into the cool stone, could feel the harsh sting of it cutting into her fingertips, but still, she pressed forward, feeling the heat on her back, the pressure on the back of her head. She could feel the dreams running through her head, teasing her, tantalizing her, and for a moment, Kagome wished she could drown in them. Kagome wished that she could do nothing but dream, but then his crimson eyes assualted her again, his calm cruel voice, the harsh feel of his skin touching hers, making her bleed, and she knew that she could not.

He would not allow her to.

Pressing her hand to her chest, Kagome continued on, needing to get there. She could see the destruction in her mind. She could hear the cries of babies, the screams of children and women. She could see the blood, flowing out before her, could feel it sloshing against her ankles, teasing her.

_This is your legacy..._

Tears pooled at the corner of her eyes, and slowly, Kagome rounded a corner, trying to ignore the voices in her head.

_But I can protect you from it._

Suddenly, her fingers pressed into wood. Kagome could feel the splinters on her hand, could feel them digging into her flesh, and tiredly, she pushed the door open, feeling the visions weighing down on her. Threatening to crush her.

_You will die with me. I can protect you. I need you. Your blood makes you beautiful. You are mine. I love you. This is your legacy. Deathdeathdeathdeathdeathdeathdeath..._

"Stop it!" She screamed, collapsing onto the ground. "Just stop! _Please._ Gods, oh gods, please just _stop._"

And then, as though, obeying her command, the fire on her back lessened, the call dissipated, and she could feel the ice creeping all around her, threatening her. But the fire was there, too, hiding within the shadows, and she knew that she had to stay away from both of them. The fear seemed to roll off of her in waves, pleasing them, and slowly, she stood, moving towards them.

But they were all so beautiful. So - so harmless.

_Kagome_, they reached out, bringing her towards them. Her fingers curled around them, gripping the soft gentle hands loosely, and almost at once, any and all fear fled her mind and instead - instead Kagome was left with a feeling of serenity. Of tranquility. She gazed into their eyes, felt their warm flesh against hers, could hear the soft, almost quiet, breathing.

Their hair seemed wispy, almost nonexistent as it flowed beautifully around them. Their clothes were white, prisitine, beautiful. Their skin was white, creamy, and it made Kagome feel insignificant. Inadequate. They were all so beautiful and she just... wasn't. She pressed a hand to her face, wanting to hide the fading bruises and healing cuts that she knew would be there, that she knew marred her skin.

And she wanted to hate him. She wanted to be able let him taste the pain and feel the fear that he continually bestowed upon her. She wanted to let him know what it was like to lose a loved one, but then again, he never loved. Her scars were testament to that.

_Be calm, my child,_ they seemed to tell her, surrounding her, gently stroking their hands over her dark hair. _Your shield shall come._

Something inside of Kagome quivered at those words, dread filled her entire body, and she looked at each of them, trying to understand, trying to figure out what exactly they meant but...

_She could feel his arms around her, holding on tightly._

_"Will you protect me?"_

_He scoffed into her hair, his fingers digging pleasurably into her arms. A shiver danced deliciously up her spine and she pressed closer, loving the warmth, the arrogance, everything. _Please, _she almost whispered, but she was done begging. She didn't want his mercy, or his pity. She wanted his word._

_"You don't need me to fucking protect you."_

_"I don't need your promises either, but it would be nice."_

_He scoffed again, and pushed away from her, needing his space._

Kagome shook the darkened image clear from her mind, trying to keep a grasp on reality. This wasn't why they had called her to them. This wasn't why they needed her, and she knew that.

_Your shield shall come..._

Was this what they meant? What they desperately desired to tell her? That someone was going to come for her, that someone had wanted to protect her? Kagome forced down a bitter laugh. Of course not. If someone had truly wanted to protect her, they would have come sooner, would have helped her sooner. There were times when she had simply begged people for their help before, but none of them listened. She was just a woman, after all, and she had a husband. Her husband was supposed to protect her, to keep her safe, and although it was her duty to put herself on the line for him... to sacrifice her life for him... Kagome shook her head, gazing at the lovely creature before her with something akin to sadness.

"I don't know what to do anymore."

The creatures smiled at her, and pulled her closer, allowing their warmth to seep into her.

Beyond them, she could see the fire and the ice battling for control, and hating her for it.

* * *

He was pissed.

There was no other way to describe his darkening mood.He had waited and waited for all of them to come to him, so he could explain the situation that his oh-so-wonderful master had suddenly thrust into his face, and they still hadn't arrived. And it was beginning to piss him off.

It probably didn't help that his "masters" father had decided to insult his people and his home country. And it made it even worse that his "master" allowed him to do so. And he didn't really care that the conversation brought up plenty of questions in his mind. _A purge..._

Inuyasha scoffed, and turned towards the window, scowling darkly. He was getting tired of waiting. Waiting for the war to come, waiting for everything to start. He had been there for over a fortnight already, and so far, nothing interesting had come his way. No interesting information. No necessary information. Just a bunch of stupid crap and plans to kill and murder people who probably deserved to be murdered, but probably wouldn't anyways. And it was annoying him to no end.

Growling loudly, Inuyasha punched the wall, hating them for making him wait.

Of course, he wanted to see the Emperor of this damned country die. He wanted to see his blood spill from his wounds after everything that he allowed to happen to his people, not that he really _cared_ but he did have something of a conscious, and it was telling him that no matter what, the destruction of defenseless peoples was _wrong. _He wanted to see the Emperor die for what he did to his coutiers, making them hate him so much, and although his brother wasn't the nicest... person ever, he still knew when to be a bastard and when not be a bastard. But this Emperor... he remembered the way those pretty little blue eyes pleaded with him, begging him to save her.

Inuyasha knew his brother was bad, but he wasn't _that_ bad. And Miroku wanted him to protect her. He wanted all of his friends to protect her from something they had no business protecting her from. Even... even if she was a woman, and one that was defenseless, she was still the Empress of a country, and she needed to remain strong. If she couldn't deal with her own husband then what the _hell_ was she doing attempting to run a country? It was fucking stupid, if he had anything to say about it.

"Stupid bastards," he growled, pacing and back and forth.

He was being blackmailed, plain and simple. And, despite the fact that Miroku had wanted to Emperor to die, protecting his pretty little wife was not something that he had agreed to. Then again, of course, if he so much as refused, he knew that Miroku would "alert"his Emperor that he was a spy from the Southern Lands... and possibly royalty, at that. And wouldn't they just love killing a member of the royal family?

But knowing Sesshoumaru, he wouldn't give a damn if he was killed or not. It would be his own damned fault if he even got caught. Which, he had, but he wasn't about to admit that to anyone. Besides, Sango would have his head if he even remotely considered getting caught or refusing to protect someone who couldn't help themselves. Which was something he couldn't understand. She was also so... so... _goody-goody._ Of course it was in a completely disgusting and twisted way. Helping someone to kill someone else wasn't exactly the best way to about protecting people, and by the time his brother assembled the army and attacked the Northern Lands, everyone was probably going to be destroyed in the apocalypse anyways.

Especially if that prophecy he had heard bits and pieces of was even remotely true.

Inuyasha could help but scoff at the irony.

_Will you protect me?_

He froze then, his ears flattening against his skull and his amber eyes narrowed, dangerously. His claws flexed instinctively, and almost at once he sat back on his haunches, unsure of what he heard. Unsure of what he should do.

_Will you protect me?_

Something inside his head told him to say no. Told him to refuse. But he felt the tug on his back, heard it urging him forward, and quietly, he followed it, his ears flickering in every which direction. He could see the flames dancing dangerously around him, threatening him, but there was ice too, and he knew he could take it.

"Keh," he smirked, darting through the flames thatattempted to latch onto his skin, attempting to make him bleed and blister and bubble disgustingly. The ice assualted him next, closing in on him from every which direction. He could feel it, freezing his skin, burning it angrily, and he fought against it, not caring whether or not it tore chunks of flesh from his body. He winced in pain, watched the blood flow from the open, torn flesh, and resisted the urge to laugh.

"Fucking bastards," he spat, crouching low, watching as the flames came closer, wanting a chance to melt his skin. But the ice continued to descend upon him, tearing hisskin apart, little by little, causing thin pieces of flesh to rip and bleed and _ooze._ Inuyasha flexed his claws, and tore through the ice, grinning coldly as the ice around him shattered, melting within the fire.

But that, too, came at him, circling tightly around his arms, burning his flesh, and he watched it, his amber eyes darkening intensely. He could smell his flesh cooking, the sickening scent reaching his sensitive nose, the way his blood charred sickeningly, turning black - _blackblackblack_ - and he laughed. The fire tightened around his arms, cutting into his skin, and distantly, he was reminded of thin tiny blades... of the look on his father's face before he died.

And it pissed him off.

Cursing, Inuyasha struggled against the bonds, hating the scent of his burning flesh, hating the way his skin tore in two, allowing him to bleed, allowing him to become weaker and weaker. The fire was taunting him, the ice, laughing at him, and he knew that death was only a game, one that he was strong enough to evade. Angrily, he extended his claws, smirking in satisfaction as they cut through the burning hot blades of fire, and he saw it retreat, saw it dance towards the melting ice, and he grinned wickedly, darting after it.

"I'm not done with you yet," he growled, swinging his claws down in a deadly arc. But the fire was much quicker, and the ice turned to liquid, dousing it completely. Inuyasha fell forward, and tumbled stupidly into the wall. "Fuck!" He growled, jumping to his feet, his ears flicking back and forth as he listened for it's approach once again. His eyes took in everything around him, the darkened room, the color of his blood on the floor, the way everything seemed to stretch into nothingness.

_Will you protect me?_

Growling, Inuyasha threw his fist into the wall, hating that voice, wishing he could kill whoever brought him here.

"The fuck do you need protecting for?" He called out into the nothingness, listening as it quivered around him, frightened. A wicked grin threatened to split across Inuyasha's face, but he reigned it in, listening and waiting for it to respond, but when no answer came, he growled loudly, his fist slamming back into the wall. Apparently, whomever it was that called him here was just trying his patience. And when he finally came face to face with it, it was going to die a long and painful death.

Inuyasha cracked his bloodied knuckles in response.

"Well?" He asked quietly, almost murderously, and the darkness wavered again.

_Because our child can not protect herself. Not yet._

Blinking wildly at the vague, yet precise answer that he was given, Inuyasha took another step forward into the darkness, trying his best to see through the pitch blackness that was surrounding him. He could hear whispers, tiny whispers, begging to say something to him, begging to let him hear their plea, but whenever it reached his ears it was nothing but thousands of whispers melding together, making no sense. It sounded like the wind.

"Why the hell do I need to protect her?" He asked skeptically. The darkness around him quivered in response.

_She has lost the strength to protect herself._

Inuyasha scoffed.

"Whatever. It ain't my -"

_Your country will fail, Inuyasha._

Inuyasha froze, suspicion causing his eyes to darken and narrow, and instinctively, he cracked his knuckles, ready to kill. His blood dripped from the end of his claws, causing him to smirk morbidly, but still, he continued to gaze into the darkness, not wanting to back down.

"Who the hell are you?"

_We are the djinni._

Inuyasha gave a jerky nod, forcing himself to sit back on his haunches. That had certainly caught his attention.

"So you're the bastards that the people of this country worship, eh?"

_We are. We can take on any form or shape as long as it lives or breathe. However, we prefer to take on the form of that of a human female, since woman are sacred in their own rights._

Inuyasha resisted the urge to laugh outright.

_Not many people see that, however, and it is because of this that the people of this country suffer as they do. As long as the sacred are treated as though they are worthless, death will continue to plague the people of this world, and soon, it shall bring about the apocalypse._

"So what the hell does this have anything to do with me protecting your... child?" Inuyasha asked, rubbing his raw and bloodied knuckles against his dirty clothing. He could feel his blood soaking his tunic, and for a moment, it startled him, having bled so much, but then he ignored the wet feeling against his skin. He was a marvelous healer, after all.

_Women sustain life. They deliver it into the world. However, our child has not yet completed her task. Our child has not brought that bright new life into the world, she has not fulfilled her purpose, and without her to fulfill her purpose, this world shall be destroyed._

"And her purpose is to have a damned child?"

_No. Her purpose is to live and to make sure that that which allows death is destroyed. Her purpose is to sustain life._

Inuyasha nodded slightly and scratched his ear absently. Somehow... it made sense, but just barely. Women, the sustainers of life. And whoever this _child_ of theirs was, she needed someone to protect her because she was too weak and fragile to protect herself. But if that was the case, then how the hell was she supposed to destroy "that which allows death"? Inuyasha scoffed, hating all of these double meanings. How typical of prophetic figures _not_ to speak literally. Inuyasha stopped scratching his ear and stared at his hands, wondering what he should do. He had already been coerced into helping his brother, which, he wasn't too fond of doing. Then he got forced into helping Kikyou and her pathetic bands of rebels because Sango was so soft-hearted to refuse someone who needed help, especially since it was their only ticket into the castle. Then there was Miroku. His oh so wonderous "new" master who was blackmailing him into taking down the Emperor of this damned country so that someone else could have the throne. Of course, if his country overthrew the Northern Lands, then his brother would probably rule the Northern Lands along with the South, and then they would have a new ruler. But it wasn't like Miroku's plan mattered anyways, seeing as to how if his brother took over the thrown, the Northern Lands would have a new ruler regardless.

But if he didn't help Miroku, then he would be discovered and killed. Not that anyone _could_ kill him. He knew how to fight and was too strong and quick to be murdered by some weak minded humans. And now - now he was being coerced into protecting this weak little girl that couldn't protect herself because she was supposedly a sustainer of life. Inuyasha frowned and scratched his ear again. He could refuse. He had every right to. But then... what the Djinni had told him continued to resonate within his mind, and he knew that he would have to sacrifice his pride for a greater cause.

Even if he didn't want to.

_Your country will fail._

"And if I don't feel like it?"

The darkness around him quivered mockingly, and he growled, swiping his hand through it menacingly. It merely laughed at him in return.

_The answer to that is already clear, young prince. People shall suffer the consequences of your actions if you refuse. But these Djinni can not force you into anything you have no wish to act upon._

Inuyasha remained silent, staring intently into the darkness. That was four times now. Four people he had promised to help, four people he was going to help, three for the destruction of a country, and one for the protection of it.

"Great. Just fucking great," Inuyasha growled out, his fist connecting with the floor. He was tired of making promises that he had really no intention to keep but... this one he would have to. Inuyasha resisted the urge to strangle himself. It would make sense to. Plenty. But this weak little girl wouldn't be able to protect herself if she was dead, so he decided to wait until after his brother's army arrived. And until after his brother decided to go back. That way, his stupid half-brother wouldn't have the satisfaction of spilling his blood. Not that he would be able to, of course, but Inuyasha decided to reserve that honor for himself. Refusing to give into the urge to bash his head into the nearest wall, Inuyasha cleared his throat gruffly, and tried his best to ignore the way the darkness tittered happily around him, knowing that it was victorious.

"So who the hell is this _child_ that I need to protect?"


	12. Chapter Twelve

**A/N: **Just getting back into the fandom. Sorry for the ridiculously long delay. It was what? Two and a half years?

…_yeah. _Enough said.

**EDIT: **Some minor grammatical errors have been fixed. If anyone spots any, feel free to point them out to me.

* * *

**THROUGH THE EYES OF AN INNOCENT: CH. 12**

* * *

The blade of kusarigama had dulled. 

Kohaku wasn't really surprised—it had been what he expected after four years of disuse—but still, it hurt to know that he had allowed his family keepsake to become so ugly. The metal looked jagged and flat, and there was no way that it would be able to cut the muscled flesh of another human being. None whatsoever. Frowning, he ran his fingers across the dulled blade, feeling the chipped edges catch against his skin. It was indescribable, the way the familiar weight was against his palms, the way his whole body seemed to thrum as he held the kusarigama, the chain wrapped three times around his hand. It was so frighteningly comfortable, the thrill that raced through his body at the contact, but still, he couldn't help but feel guilty.

Guilty because it had been four _years_ since he had last touched the weapon, and it was staggering enough to bring him to tears.

It wasn't like it was his fault, after all. Sango had… Sango had been the one to wrap it in the slightly moth eaten cloth and store it under her bed, hiding it from the world. From him. And from the memories. Smiling almost bitterly, Kohaku rubbed at a particularly smooth blood stain and wondered why he allowed things to happen the way that they did. It wasn't like he hadn't had any control over the situation. Quite the contrary, everything had been _left_ up to him, so many decisions had been his to make and yet—

And yet.

He just stood there and cried the entire time.

_Pathetic,_ he wanted to say, but he knew it really wasn't. Sango had _said_ that it wasn't, and whatever Sango said usually was true… except when she had said that it wasn't his fault. No matter what he did or how he acted or how much he tried to pretend, everything was always his fault.

No matter what anyone said.

But it hurt to think about it, and Kohaku didn't think he wanted to anymore. His throat was already tight at the unwanted guilt coursing through him, making everything feel so heavy and suffocating. His grip loosened on the blade in his hands, and ever so slowly, he continued to rub at the blood that stained it, needing to stay occupied. He needed to sharpen the blade, needed to clean it. He knew he could find some of the materials he would need to do so down in the armory, so that was his first stop. Then he'd need to practice. Kohaku wasn't entirely sure how much he'd be able to accomplish in two weeks time, but he knew that it would have to be enough.

Of course, he'd have to go with Jaken, too. While the castle had enough warriors to protect it from a siege, everyone else that mattered was littered throughout the country. There would be very little time for him to actually go to the training grounds and practice. He could always practice on living animals—that he was very much aware of. But somehow, no matter how he practiced, it never gave him the thrill or the sense of satisfaction that he craved. It was different, training with the older, more experienced soldiers. Different because they could push him to his limits, help him learn. Help him to become stronger, more intelligent when it came to battle. Better.

Sango had tried to teach him, so long ago. She had been the one to make him as strong as he was now, and for that, he was grateful. But still—_still_—it wasn't nearly enough. He was still too weak, too soft. He could tell it just by the way his chest tightened whenever his fingers rubbed over the familiar spots of blood, the way he hated to see his reflection in that tarnished blade. Kohaku wondered for a brief moment if it would ever go away, the guilt and the frustration. It was like fire in his lungs, trying to keep everything at bay. Trying to stay in control. But Sango had taught him all about control, too, even though she was never very good at it herself.

_A warrior always need to know how to control their emotions, otherwise, it can be seen as weakness. Lord Sesshoumaru deplores weakness, and if he sees that in his own men, he will kill them where they stand_.

Of course, he had to have already seen it. Especially with the way that he had clung to the Lady Izayoi so shamefully. It made him feel disgusting and weak just thinking about it... And he hated feeling that way, more than anything. Hated it more than the acute, painful absence of his sister.

Sango probably would have smiled at him and ruffled his hair, telling him that everything would be all right. She would have gone with the Lady Izayoi instead of allowing him to—the Lord Sesshoumaru was always very fond of his sister, even if he did disagree with the many things that she said. But for some reason, whenever it came to him, Sango always got her way. Kohaku still didn't understand why. It wasn't even as though the Lord Sesshoumaru and Sango were particularly close. They were just—allies. Comrades. Master and servant. Of course, there had to be some sort of respect there, too. Kohaku wasn't ignorant enough to disregard that entirely. Sango was very nearly the General of his entire army, even if Lord Sesshoumaru always affirmed the final actions that they took. Inuyasha probably had a lot to do with it—too much, probably, considering the fact that neither particularly liked each other. But they got on civilly enough, he supposed.

Even so, Kohaku had the frightening, gut wrenching feeling that Sango would be mad beyond all belief to know that Lord Sesshoumaru was sending him as an 'escort' to the Lady Izayoi.

It was almost agonizing to think about the angry, hurtful look on her face when she would find out about it.

Even if his Lord Sesshoumaru always did come first.

-----

Ever since he was little, he never understood what it meant to protect someone.

Sure, he had sought vengeance for the betrayal of his father, had grieved and held dear the memory of his step-mother, but not once was he ever forced to protect someone. It was difficult, wanting to protect his mother—she was strong in her own inimitable ways, always advocating kindness and peace. Desiring prosperity. It was something that never really sat too well with Inuyasha as a younger boy, especially when he landed the killing blow on he man who had murdered his father; it was a day that still lived on in his mind. The rage, the hatred, and fire burning in his veins—and all at the tender age of twelve. Before then, he had never really understood what it meant to take the life of another; naturally, he had seen people die. He had been the only one to see his step-mother die after all; he had been the only available one to stay by her while she was in her deathbed, begging for her husband, pleading for her true son.

It had changed something in Inuyasha, that inherent cruelty. He had always thought that he would have been too young to remember, had told the Empress that he had been too young to remember, and yet…

And yet he had lied. But what had he needed to tell the truth for? It wasn't as the though the Empress was his ally. Yes, he understood Miroku's motivations for wanting to protect the girl; he had seen the way Miroku looked at her with that disgustingly sappy fondness, wanting nothing more than her protection, desiring her safety… and he had agreed to help him, if only to keep from being ousted. But now… now there was someone he had to protect, someone who was important to the outcome of the war, someone who… who…

Someone who Inuyasha had no fucking idea how to _find_.

The Djinn had gone silent as soon as Inuyasha had asked his final question and the darkness had grown thicker and thicker, like sludge lodged in the back of his throat. It had become difficult to breathe, stifling… he was surprised that he had even managed to make it out of that dark room and back into the corridor—his blood was splashed all over, staining the walls, and he resisted the urge to growl. The tang of it was still sweet in the air, if a bit sickening, and Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder what Miroku would have thought if he had been the one to see it. He'd probably thought that Inuyasha had killed someone else—another servant, maybe. But Miroku was far from stupid. It would be his initial reaction, but afterwards… afterwards he would know that it was Inuyasha's. Afterwards, he would want to know how it happened, when it happened, why it happened, but Inuyasha couldn't tell him.

Hell, he didn't think that he would be able to tell Miroku much of anything anymore, not that it was much of a difference.

Growling, Inuyasha rubbed his raw knuckles against his clothing, smiling as his tender skin pulled unpleasantly.

It had been far too long since he'd experienced the physical discomfort that came with his injuries, and it felt _good._

Even if the scent of his own blood was making him slightly nauseous.

The thrill died down though, when he thought about the Djinn, about how secretive they were being. Sure, he had promised that he'd help them protect some weak little girl, but fuck, was he just supposed to _know_ that it was her when he saw her? Was it supposed to feel like something was suddenly sliding into place, making him feel complete and whole and—he had better things to do then waste his time angsting over something so incredibly _stupid_. If the Djinn didn't want him to know who he had to protect, then they very well couldn't hold him to it. After all, there had to be a reason as to _why_ they had gone silent, even if he didn't fully understand it himself.

And fuck it if he didn't really want to.

Annoyed, Inuyasha let out a little growl of indignation before gazing at his bleeding arms. It looked positively disgusting, the way his arms were cut open and dripping. Covered in thick, wet blisters. He wanted to poke at them, just to feel the almost unbearable ache that came when the squishy flesh burst—to feel the sting as the pus oozed down in his arms, but he had more important things to do. More important things to think about.

He needed to find Sango. That was the first step. Then he needed to send out word to his brother of his progress—he had tried time and time again, only to be interrupted that stupid idiot that actually called himself the 'General's son' and he knew that if he didn't do something quick, Miroku would get in his damned away _again_, and if he did, Inuyasha wasn't sure whether or not he'd be able to hold back. He was pissed enough as it was, being injured, even if the pain brought him some sort of sick comfort.

And now was as good a time as any really, especially since he was on his own.

Inuyasha nodded.

Screw the Empress, he thought. My country comes first. It _always _comes first.

And no matter what anybody said, it always would.

-----

The armory was empty except for Kohaku.

He had hoped that someone else would be there, if only to have some company, but even then there was no one. He was well aware of the little ache in his chest as he sat in solitude, well aware of the fact that he shouldn't have felt so lonely to begin with, but ever since Sango's absence, he had felt a deep resonating sadness that would not disperse.

It sickened him to think that he could be so weak.

Frowning at the thought, Kohaku tried his hardest to push it away and went about his task.

Finding the cleaning cloths had been easy. They were stained with blood, just as he had expected them to be, and the sight chilled him, just a little bit. His fingers pressed diligently into the threadbare cloth, picking at the holes, making them wider, and he couldn't help the bitter, almost painful smile that broke out across his face. Yes, he could use the cloths, but they would just tear as they slid over the slightly jagged edge of the blade. He wondered if anybody would notice.

They probably wouldn't.

He searched through the cloths for a little bit longer, hoping to find something stronger, more durable. When he did, he set the edge of the thick, brown cloth into small vat of polish and started working quickly. He wasn't sure how much time he would have to practice, wasn't sure that he wanted to, but the Lord Sesshoumaru's word was law, and there was nothing he could do to go against it.

He could feel the familiar burn in his arms as he started working across the surface of the blade, starting at the tip and working his way towards the base. The small rust colored stains were the hardest to work out, and even by the time he had finished, they still weren't gone completely. The surface refused to sparkle and glimmer the way that it had before, the way that Kohaku was so used to it doing, the way he could remember it being. It had been such a beautiful weapon once, so sleek and quick. The chain connected to the scythe blade had clinked and clanged so wondrously and… frowning, Kohaku flipped the blade over and started polishing the other side. Yes, it had always been a magnificent weapon, but Kohaku couldn't shake the thought that it was twice as beautiful once it was covered in blood.

Perhaps that had been the reason why Sango had refused to let him fight. Perhaps that had been the reason why Sango tried to protect him from the world so diligently, because this evil sick pleasure was nestled inside of him.

Something akin to desperation began to work at him again, but just as soon as it had appeared, he pushed it back down, doing his best to focus on the task at hand. Cleaning the blade was all that mattered. Practicing with it. Using it. Honing his skill.

It had been so long since he had last used it, since Kohaku had held it in his small hands. It had been his father's namesake—his _father's._

Kohaku stopped as soon as the blade was properly polished, dumping the supplies back into their proper places and moving on to the whetstone.

The sound of metal sliding across stone sent an unpleasant chill down Kohaku's spine—it was uncomfortable and unforgiving, _horrible—_but the boy could feel the adrenaline mounting. Bubbling. Festering.

It had been so long since the last time, so long before he knew he was preparing for a bloody encounter. Sango had done everything to protect him from this kind of life, had done her best to keep him from the blood and gore and death that was certainly awaiting him wherever he chose to go. But it was inevitable. She was a warrior, just as much as he was. It was in their blood, pumping through their veins, flowing uninhibited through their hearts. It was something they were both aware of, ever since they were children.

It was their destiny to fight, to go wherever their leader lead them, and—

Kohaku flipped the blade over, his arms aching slightly as the sight of a sharpened, deadly blade reflected in his eyes.

It didn't take long to sharpen the blade or to seat up practice dummies. His hands ached as he got reacquainted to holding the kusarigama—his fingers were already blistering as he adjusted his grip time and time again, attempting to get comfortable. The chain bit into his hands, painfully, but Kohaku knew he could endure it. He had lived his life for this, after all. Preparing for battle. For blood. For injury. For death.

His arm arced as the kusarigama flew the air, its tip imbedding itself deep into the dummy's straw belly. He jerked his arm slightly—straw spilled from the opening like intestines from an open wound—the blade cutting across the expanse of the rucksack dummy. His other hand lifted in the air, fingers curling comfortably around the handle, chains twining quickly around his hand as Kohaku sought to control.

His hand lowered as he gazed at the mess before him—ten dummy's were completely annihilated—wooden heads were strewn across the floor, straw lay in piles on the cold stone. Chest and stomachs and necks were carved into mercilessly, and—_if only it were real._

"It seems you have improved."

Kohaku jerked around, his eyes wide as he fell into the customary bow. Silence was all that met his sign of respect, and for a moment, Kohaku had thought his Lord had left. But the _snick_ of metal against metal echoed throughout the quiet training room, and Kohaku raised his head cautiously, eying the clean, silver, imposing sword his Lord Sesshoumaru held in his clawed hands.

"My Lord?" Kohaku asked quietly, uncertain of whether or not he should respond.

Sesshoumaru's face remained cold and impassive as he spoke. "Stand."

Kohaku did as he was told without another word, his kusarigama held limply in his hands.

"I wish to spar you," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "Prepare yourself."

Kohaku barely had a chance to respond as Sesshoumaru darted forward, his blade slicing through the air.

Kohaku jerked back, raising his kusarigama in defense—_the kusarigama is a long range weapon, so distance must be maintained—_

Metal clanged violently against metal, and Kohaku's eyes widened as pain shot through his arms. His shuffled backwards as his muscles protested against the strain—his Lord was so strong, so _invincible_—but Sesshoumaru was already changing direction, and the blade was coming towards Kohaku's side, ready to dig into flesh and bone and spill so much _blood—_

The head of the kusarigama dipped down, blocking the strike awkwardly, causing the head of Sesshoumaru's sword to rebound through the air, but—Sesshoumaru's grip changed instantly, and the blade was coming towards his neck—

The chain shot upwards, curling around the blade, but it wasn't going to be enough. The sword twirled in the air, and the chains slid off effortlessly…

Kohaku's eyes widened as Sesshoumaru pressed in on him again, refusing to allow a retaliation, only a defense, a weak pathetic defense that left Kohaku's arms burning as each twang of the sword against the kusarigama blade reverberated down his arms, straining against his bones, leaving his muscles to _ache—_

—_the kusarigama is a long range weapon, so distance must be maintained—_

Sesshoumaru wouldn't allow it. It had only taken a second, but Kohaku already knew the outcome.

He was going to lose.

-----

Kohaku's arms burned.

He couldn't quite remember the last time he had ever really felt abuse this wonderful, but so very painful. He could feel his lungs aching, and his throat went tight every time he tried to breathe. It hurt, trying to keep up the pretense of strength, trying to keep pushing himself, but even as the dizziness overtook him with each step, he found he couldn't stop. He didn't think he would be able to, regardless. He was certain that his Lord knew that he was already way passed his limits, but he kept coming at him anyways, waiting to see him fall. Waiting to see him fail.

It bled lead all the way down to the pit of his stomach.

He didn't want to feel the desperation overcome him, even though he knew he was losing. His will was only so strong and he _knew_ that—he knew a lot of things, like the sickening feeling of defeat, the nauseating clenching of his stomach whenever he felt that abject humiliation, the way his eyes burned whenever he thought about how red his face became whenever he was brought down to a level that he had no desire to be at. Oh, he knew it all so very well, even the sorrow and self-hate. He wished for Sango to realize that he felt that way, wished for it desperately, but he couldn't be desperate, not anymore.

His breath came out in heavy pants, and he was almost disgusted to find that it was the only sound in the room. Lord Sesshoumaru was watching him with an expression of detached calm, and Kohaku could almost hear the thoughts running through his head: _weak, pathetic, expendable, unworthy, dishonorable, unfit to serve, liability, _failure.

The last one stung, and he could feel it as he stared at his Lord and took deep, calming breaths. He knew he had to get the dizziness under control, had to get rid of the aching, burning, jelly feel of his legs. He had to get stronger, had to _beat_ his weakness, even if it ended in humiliation. What kind of person would he be otherwise, if he could not overcome something so simple?

When he had first started practicing with the kusarigama, he had felt something slide back into place. He had moved with that same painstaking familiarity that came from years of practice. He had felt his muscles pull and contract, had heard the beautiful sound of the scythe soaring through the air, loved the way the chain pulled and shifted, cool against his skin. Everything had seemed so perfect then, and even if the guilt did continue to eat at him, he had overcome it. And then his Lord had showed up, had asked him to spar with him, and he had engaged.

Even though he hated it, he was seriously wishing that he hadn't. But he needed to. He needed to do it more than anyone could ever imagine, and he had a feeling that his Lord knew this, too.

Kohaku gripped the chain in his hands tighter, and took a small, measured step. His heart pounded almost frantically against his sternum, and it was all he could do not to fall over from sheer exhaustion. He waited for his Lord to make another strike, the nervousness spiking almost immediately. He could almost see Sesshoumaru bending slightly at the knee, the tip of the sword rising ever so slightly as he took a quick, calculated step towards him, could almost hear the sound of the kusarigama hitting the blade of his Master. He wanted to parry, to make a quick but unsuccessful counterattack, wanted _something, anything_, but he waited for another long moment and still, there was nothing.

Kohaku frowned.

He wasn't sure whether or not he should question his Lord, but—

"Um-uh, sir?" he asked, hating the way his voice cracked. It was almost painful to talk, but still, he knew he had to. "Why...why aren't you—"

Lord Sesshoumaru lowered his sword, and Kohaku almost winced as the tip touched the floor. "I do not make it a habit to spar with those too proud to recognize when they have reached their limitations. If I were to attack you now, you would surely die."

Kohaku's lips twisted at the bitter feeling that his Master's words left, and he tugged his chain tighter, wanting to refute everything that was said. But—he had felt his chest beginning to ache the more he attempted to breathe. The dizziness was leaving him nauseous and he hated feeling light headed but… he couldn't just stop. And if he was still moving, still forcing that weakness to the back of his mind then surely it would be all right. He was still concentrating even though every muscle in his body ached, even though he knew was going to fall over, exhausted and spent as soon as his Master left.

He fought back the harsh sting of the words, shaking his head.

Kohaku immediately bit back his rebuttal as his world tilted on its axis.

"You shall assist Jaken in assembling my army," Sesshoumaru continued, his face void of emotion. Kohaku wished that he could see passed the disappointment that was no longer there, but the not-thoughts that his Master continued to think left him feeling bitter and hateful. He averted his eyes to the ground almost shamefully. "Afterwards, you are to accompany the Lady Izayoi to the Eastern Lands. While you are there, you are expected to dispose of any one who interferes with her negotiations. Lady Izayoi does not believe that you are capable of going through with the assassination. After this display, I am inclined to agree with her."

Kohaku could feel the shame coursing through him, hot and violent, and his face heated. His Master continued on as though he hadn't noticed the slightest change in the young boy.

"You are already aware of the fact that Jaken shall be accompanying you until further notice. Should he find reason to believe that you are indeed capable of handling the assassination, then you shall be the one to do so. You are to complete your preparations before dawn tomorrow. That is when you shall set out. You're dismissed."

Kohaku nodded, moving at the command without fully realizing he had reacted. The dizziness assaulted him once more, and he could feel his energy waning. His stomach twisted unpleasantly as his knees threatened to buckle beneath him, but somehow, he managed to make it out the door, the chains of the kusarigama clenched tightly in his fist. He could feel the metal cutting into his skin fiercely, and the shame increased tenfold.

He couldn't believe it, couldn't _understand_ it. Why had his Master assigned him to complete a task only to take him off of it a day later? He felt betrayed then, betrayed because Lady Izayoi had been the one to suggest it, betrayed because she didn't believe in him. Kohaku had always done his best to do right by her, to make her proud and yet…

And yet his best was still never enough. The tears stung his eyes, and he fought his hardest to keep them away, but everything was already catching up to him; the exhaustion was blurring everything around the edges, and he wanted to sleep. At least then, he wouldn't have to deal with everyone's harsh judgment. At least then, he wouldn't feel the humiliation and the shame. He wouldn't have to deal with Lady Izayoi's pitying stares, thinking she had done something right for him.

How _could_ she? His Master had only ever thought him capable for simply being Sango's younger brother. He had believed in him once, had trusted him to get the job done. But now… now that trust had disappeared simply because the Lady Izayoi decided to drip poison into his Master's ears with thoughts of him being _incapable. _A _failure._ The words always left him feeling miserable and defeated—he didn't _want_ to be that way, had done everything in his power to _keep_ from being a failure and yet… he already was. He had already failed and he was already losing and _there was nothing he could do about it._

The tears hurt, almost as much as his muscles did, and he staggered into the wall, wishing for something other than the painful feeling in his chest.

He _wasn't_ a failure, and he knew this.

Sango had told him so, after all.

_But everyone thinks so, anyways._

And he hated it.

-----

Inuyasha made it as far as the bathing quarters before he was stopped.

He wasn't entirely sure when he became aware of the hot feeling of eyes on his back, but he did and it pissed him off more than he already was. It was like some all-powerful deity was conspiring against him, _once again_, to send him over the edge and he was sick of it. He wanted to turn around and tear the bastard staring him down limb from limb, but he didn't quite think that it would do him any good. Inuyasha scowled. Of all the days, when he finally—_finally_—was able to have some time to himself, to finally venture outside the stifling castle walls to do _something_ other than run around after that stupid idiot who called himself his Master, someone, somewhere decided that it was finally time to start screwing with him even more.

His fist clenched involuntarily, even as he whirled around, a snarl on his lips.

"Can I fucking help…" Inuyasha paused, the words dying on his lips. "Oh."

The Emperor smiled, cruel and pleased, and Inuyasha nearly spat at the way his eyes trailed down his arms and back up to his face once again.

"You're Master is quite liberal with your lashings," Naraku replied, moving forward.

Inuyasha didn't say a word, but he found that he didn't have to. The tension rippling through the air was enough to put him at odds with the dark haired (_fucking annoying_) man standing in front of him.

"I seemed to have misplaced my servants," the Emperor continued. "Follow me."

"I have fucking shit to do," Inuyasha snapped, folding his arms over his chest. "Besides I already have a damned Master. Go find your own stupid servant."

It probably wasn't the smartest move, being disobedient, but Inuyasha couldn't care less. He had more important things to think about—_ bastard brother_, _idiot master, fucking wimpy assed woman, soft-hearted broad_—and the Emperor was only getting in his way. But damn it if he didn't _need_ to get closer to the Emperor _too_, because maybe the Emperor would need him for something important like attending some of those tedious meetings where he might actually be able to find out something valuable instead of stalking around the castle and picking at riddles that made no sense and listening to voices in the dark. Sesshoumaru—_that bastard_—would probably laugh at him if he knew that Inuyasha was actually listening to something that was supposed to be his enemy but—well, his country's future was at stake and there were far more important things.

But still… the indecision made him growl in frustration and he glared at the Emperor, who was watching him with dark, unsettling eyes.

"I do not take well to being disobeyed," Naraku replied after a long silence. "Perhaps you should rethink your position."

_As if there's anything to fucking rethink, you asshole. I'm a damned _Prince_ and you're my enemy and I could kill you in a second flat, _Inuyasha thought viciously, his eyes narrowing. His jaw was clenched as he attempted to control his anger, but his claws were already biting into his skin and he hated it. He didn't want the Emperor to see his weakness, but he was, and Inuyasha knew that there was something inherently wrong with the entire situation. How could an Emperor, and one as feared as this one, misplace his own servants? The uneasiness of the confrontation started creeping up on Inuyasha, but he merely pushed it away with an annoyed twitch of his head. And then, he was doing something that he thought he would never do in his life, something he thought he had too much pride to do, and yet, he was doing it anyways.

He bowed his head in submission.

Inuyasha could practically see the way the Emperor's lips curled in satisfaction and victory, and he wanted nothing more than to punch him in his face. But still, _still_, he was on a mission, and he couldn't blow it. Couldn't destroy everything he had worked towards until he was given word to. But oh, how _easy_ it would have been to just put his claws through the bastards stomach, how easy it would have been to tear him limb from fucking limb, and Inuyasha wanted to, so _badly._ But he knew that the Emperor could sense the bloodlust on him, could sense that he hated him beyond all belief, and he knew that sooner or later, the Emperor would call for his blood, too.

Inuyasha just needed to remember to launch his attack first. And that was where the Empress came in.

Annoyance flared within him as he thought of that stupid woman doing… whatever the hell it was she was doing, and he scowled again, glaring at the Emperor as the dark-haired man motioned for him to follow.

His fingers twitched as Naraku turned his back to him, as he left himself wide open and vulnerable, and yet… Inuyasha could see the way his shoulders were set, could see the way the dark-haired man fingered the hilt of his sword as though waiting for him to attack him.

_Looks like I ain't the only one who wants someone's head on a damned stake around here, _Inuyasha thought, feeling oddly pleased. Earlier, when it had just been he and Miroku, Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder whether or not the Emperor was blind—he had to have been, not to notice all the people fluttering about, wishing for his demise. But the Emperor knew. Knew just as much as Inuyasha did that there was a rebellion underfoot, knew that something was kindling, ready to lash out at him.

The thought pleased Inuyasha. There was nothing more satisfying than murdering an intelligent opponent. And even if killing the Emperor would be simple, the fact that he was providing some sort of challenge was enough to get Inuyasha's blood boiling, and _damn_, it would be so sweet, that taste of victory once the charade was all over and done with.

Inuyasha wasn't sure of where they were heading, but Naraku continued to lead the way and Inuyasha continued to follow, hoping upon hope that he received some sort of information. The simple fact that there was a rebellion—in the castle and outside of it—wasn't going to be enough. He needed to figure out how potentially dangerous the army of the Northern Lands was, and the only way to do that would be with Miroku. Miroku, who was the son of the General, Miroku, who had run away to find that stupid _Empress_ with the strange eyes and that pathetic weakness that made Inuyasha growl in frustration.

It had been so different, talking to her that one moment, so different, watching as she begged and pleaded with him to protect her from her husband. But that was not something which Inuyasha was inclined to do—although, if he thought about it, he knew that it was what Miroku had planned for him. Protecting the Empress from her own husband… Inuyasha unconsciously flexed his claws as he stared at the Emperor's back, wishing for the moment where he could just cleave through all that flesh, wishing that he could see that beautiful red blood spill in that oh so sweet victory.

So lost in his thoughts of victory, that Inuyasha almost plowed into Naraku's back as he came to a stop.

"Tell me," Naraku started as he gazed at the door in front of him, waiting for Inuyasha to move forward and open it for him. "Are all _demons_ from the south so disobedient?"

The slight was there on his tongue, and Inuyasha felt his lips curl back as he readied a snarl, but Naraku's dark red eyes suddenly turned to him, and the cold cruelty in them was enough to get the hairs on the back of Inuyasha's neck to stand on end. Oh, fucking _yes_, he couldn't wait to kill this bastard.

"I don't know," Inuyasha grumbled, his hands clenched into fists and his claws digging into the palm of his hand. The slight throbbing of pain was welcome, but somehow, he knew it wouldn't be enough to keep his temper in check. "Why don't you fuckin' go there and find out?"

Naraku's lips curled into a dangerously pleased smile, and Inuyasha wished that he could be anywhere else but there. "Indeed. Then, perhaps you would be willing to answer another question, demon."

When Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull, the smile only became more cold, more pleased. "What is your association with my… _wife…?_"

The disgust in the Emperor's voice was enough to cause a feral grin to spread across Inuyasha's face, and although the sickening connotation that he would want anything to _do_ with the Empress was there, Inuyasha decided to go for broke. After all, even if the Emperor knew his heritage, knew that he was from the South, he didn't know of his _true_ heritage. Didn't know of the position that Inuyasha truly held. And, if the Emperor did assume him to be some hapless servant that his country sent to spy on him, then that was all the better, because Inuyasha had a feeling that Naraku would find him expendable. And if he was expendable, then he wasn't important. And if he wasn't important, then Naraku wouldn't feel the need to kill him. At least, not until he got what he wanted from Inuyasha.

And Inuyasha would do everything in his power to make sure that he didn't.

"She hired me to assassinate your sorry ass," Inuyasha replied scathingly, no apology in his voice.

For one, brief moment, Inuyasha was almost certain that Naraku was about ready to draw his sword, was ready to drive it through him, but something flickered in his gaze, something strange and incomprehensible. Before Inuyasha realized it, that cruel pleased smile was once again on Naraku's face, and he was motioning towards the door, ordering Inuyasha to open it.

"Open the door," Naraku commanded, and with a dark growl, Inuyasha did.

The door itself led to a set of stairs which descended into a dark, long corridor, and for one moment, Inuyasha was wondering how he had missed it. It wasn't even similar to the one that led to the servants quarters, and he stood there, staring into the musty corridor before Naraku prodded him roughly in the back with the butt of his sword.

"You will stand aside," Naraku replied silkily, and Inuyasha moved out of the way with a glare directed towards the Emperor. Emperor Yokoshima merely moved past him, his dark, wavy hair bouncing slightly as he moved down the stairwell. Inuyasha wasn't sure if he wanted to follow him or not, but in the end, curiosity won out, and as soon as the Emperor began his descent down the stairs, Inuyasha was following him, glancing around the dimly lit corridor warily.

It was strange, now that he thought about it, how unaware he had been on the way there. He wasn't even sure how far it was he had managed to get from that dark room with the strange voices before the Emperor had happened upon him, and even then, he was so worried about actually _killing_ the emperor that he hadn't noticed that the Emperor was leading him through the maze of corridors that made up the entire castle. The simple fact that he hadn't noticed the plain, out of the way door during his first reconnaissance was enough to cause his stomach to churn. But if there was something down here, something he could use… as soon as the Emperor left him the hell alone, Inuyasha was spilling every single little thing to the rebellion outside. It was the only way that Sango would get the message… the only way Sango could give that message to his brother.

The stairs themselves were made of stone, and the stones were covered with thick grime. They were brown, not the customary gray that Inuyasha was used to seeing, the sludge was slightly slick under his feet. He couldn't even curb the slight sneer of disgust he gave as his feet slipped through the mushy mess—he was a Prince, but he had encountered filth, time and time again. It came with being trained, with being left to fend for himself. Missions were always the worst, having to hide out in forests, rank with smells. Deserts, hot and disgusting.

He had walked through sickness and blood the day Rin had brought him to the castle. The area was swarming with infestations—Inuyasha had experienced that kind of filth, too, but… the sludgy mess under his feet was disgusting. Rank. It smelled of rot and urine and something else he was sure he had scented before, but couldn't put his finger on.

The stairs gave way to a flat landing, which led to another long corridor. Rubbing at his sensitive nose, Inuyasha almost forgot that the Emperor was walking ahead of him, his rubies sparkling in the torch light.

Where the fuck was this place?

The door at the end of the hall was plain by all appearances—wooden with black iron hinges and bolts. The floor leading towards the door was slicked with just as much as the stairs had been, and Inuyasha frowned as his foot slipped once more. The goop splashed around him, coated his pants, and—

"Open the door." The Emperor's cool voice cut through the oppressive silence of the corridor, and Inuyasha let loose a snarl.

Naraku merely smirked.

The metal was cold under Inuyasha's fingers as he twisted the iron handle down, allowing the door to swing open. The room beyond was just as dark—as cold and musty and damp—the rancid smell was stronger here, and there was finally a name that Inuyasha could put to the putrid scent, finally something he could compare it too—

Torches along the walls lit, and Inuyasha jerked forward slightly, his eyes widened.

Cells upon cells lined the walls on either side of him. Cells full of men and women and children. Their bodies were littered with open sores, oozing with pus and blood. Their heads were naked, scabbed, and their bodies were completely bare. They were thin and emaciated, _gaunt_, and Inuyasha could feel his heart lodge itself somewhere in his throat.

These people were _dying._

He wasn't frightened. No. He had seen people die, had caused the death of others on his own, but…

A child sobbed weakly, and Inuyasha stepped forward, disregarding the silent _snick_ of metal in the almost quiet atmosphere.

He couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe the suffering these people were forced to go through. The scent of blood, pus, infection, and death assaulted his senses, and almost as soon as the shock dwindled into something resembling sympathy, the anger burst forth, hot and angry and—

"What the _fuck_?" Inuyasha whirling around to face the Emperor angrily. "What the hell—"

Silver glinted through the air, and suddenly, all he could feel was pain.

Pain as he staggered backwards, the thick silver sword slipping cleanly from his flesh, dripping with his blood. Pain as the wound burned and throbbed and _bled… _pain as his head cracked against metal bars, his vision blurring almost instantly… pain as the blade slid through fat and muscle and bone in his leg… pain as fingers dipped into the wound arrogantly, coldly pleased… pain as his throat burned with bile… pain as rotting, infectious sludge was poured into his wounds… pain as his throat was ripped to shreds with cursing and yelling and…

"I won't ask you again, demon," Naraku replied silkily as two servants slapped metal shackles around Inuyasha's bleeding wrists. "What is your association with my wife?"

Inuyasha let lose a bloodied, startled laugh and shook his head condescendingly. "I already told you… she hired me to kill you."

The crimson blade swung through the air again, and Inuyasha cursed as it bit into the flesh of his arm. It was held there, lodged deep within muscle, but all Inuyasha could do was smirk.

"You're trying my patience, _demon_," Naraku responded coldly, dislodging his sword only to drive it into Inuyasha's other shoulder. "Answer the question."

"Fuck you," Inuyasha spat, blood and spittle flying through the air. "I don't have to tell you _anything._"

The sword twisted painfully in Inuyasha's shoulder, but Naraku just regarded him coldly. His eyes were like flames, hot and fierce and full of _so much hate_—but he was still amused, even as he looked down at the silver-haired demon. Even as his sword pulled and twisted slowly away from the flesh, causing fresh, warm, sticky blood to spill from Inuyasha's shoulder.

And it hurt, oh how it _hurt_, but Inuyasha was stronger and better than that, and he'd rather die than let his enemy think they had one over on him. Pain was nothing. Inuyasha was used to it.

"Demons don't heal as normal humans do," Naraku started quietly, taking the cloth from the cowed servant next to him and sliding it along the long, sharp blade. "They can survive multiple, life-threatening wounds… something which humans can not." He paused then, eying the blood-stained cloth contemplatively. "I wonder, demon, if you will survive."

Inuyasha smirked violently. "Keh," he spat. "It takes more than that to kill me."

Naraku turned dark, cold eyes towards Inuyasha, his lips curving up into a delicate sneer.

"Is that so?"

The sword was slipped back into it's hilt with a quiet _snick_, and Naraku thrust the cloth at one of the servants. They took it reluctantly, holding it loosely between their fingers as Inuyasha's vision swam.

He could still see Naraku. Could still see the wickedly pleased smile on his face. It caused anger to bubble and fester and—_the bastard's fucking playing with me_, Inuyasha thought with a snarl, his amber eyes bleeding red. _I'll fucking _kill_ him._

The claws on his fingers elongated, dripping blood, and he could feel the skin on his cheeks start to burn. All it would take was one moment—one moment of unguarded arrogance—and the Emperor would be his. The Emperor would be dead and rotting, just as the people around him were rotting, just as they were dying. His blood would taste so good, so wonderful, and it would be so _pretty…_

The bloodlust spiked dangerously, and Inuyasha let out a low warning growl as the Emperor neared him. The scent of poison, sharp and tangy, reached his nose, and Inuyasha jerked back as the Emperor moved forward—Naraku's hands were dripping with a deep, thick, purple liquid, causing a violent mist to raise around them. It fizzled against Inuyasha's skin painfully—so much pain, too much pain, but the demon was already out, the demon was already trying to disregard it—

"Let's see just how much more you can withstand."

The claws—purple and dripping and painful—slammed down into Inuyasha's leg, and the demon surged forward with a growl, his claws slamming into the Emperor's shoulder, digging deep, drawing blood. The Emperor smiled as Inuyasha snarled, his leg burning—

It felt as if the flesh was melting from his bones, so hot and searing and so _unbearable—_

—the Emperor shifted back, Inuyasha's long claws sliding cleanly out of his shoulder, warm tangy blood scenting the air—

"_Fuck_," Inuyasha muttered weakly, his vision swimming painfully. Everything around him blurred, even as the Emperor's scent reached his nose—it was so familiar, so recognizable, and Inuyasha was sure he had smelled it somewhere before—

His blood burned as it pumped through his veins, and he could taste the bile in the back of his throat surging up, forward, stinging his esophagus, leaving trails of agony and bitterness across his tongue, even as his head tilted to the side, even as the liquid fire spilled from his mouth and spattered against his clothes.

Everything grayed and dimmed around him, but Inuyasha could still feel the Emperor close to him, even as gray turned to black, and the sound of the Emperor's cold, wicked voice reached his ears once more.

"What is your association with my wife?"

The haze crept up in his mind, and Inuyasha felt his heartbeat slow, trying its best to combat the poison that was working its way through his veins.

Reason left him, leaving him feeling weak and torn to shreds…

…blood took over all his senses… he could feel it against his fingers, after he started to fade from consciousness, his throat working against his will.

"I… I have to…"

…_save her._

The world around him shifted angrily. Violently.

_Will you protect me?_

…_yeah._

Inuyasha passed out.

---

**IMPORTANT: **This story is currently on hiatus for revision. There are many things which I dislike about this story, one major thing being characterization and plot progression. It is because of this that I will be revising the story--I'm hoping to make it more linear and easier to follow. I am also hoping that I can improve upon previous chapters which were boring and extremely tedious to read.

All revised chapters will be uploaded at the same time as the next installment, so if anyone wants to read the corrected version of the story at that time, I would urge you to do so. While things won't change drastically, they will change enough that the reader might be confused by somethings.

So, I'm sorry that I am putting this story on hold until all revisions are complete, but I feel that is best for the story. So, wish me luck, and until next time!


End file.
